'Empire' Creator Lee Daniels Shuts Down Real-Life Cookie Lyon Lawsuit: 'Bye Felicia'

“Empire” creator Lee Daniels cracked himself up on Thursday with his response to a TV critics’ question about Sophia Eggleston, who is suing the Fox hit claiming that breakout character Cookie Lyon was based on her life.

“Who dat?” Daniels shot back when asked about Eggleston’s lawsuit during the hit show’s Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour panel. When the reporter clarified that Eggleston is the woman suing him, Daniels simply said: “Bye Felicia.”

“Bye Felicia” is a phrase that originated in the film “Friday,” but was re-popularized in culture this year by Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) on Daniels’ hip-hop soap opera. The saying is intended to be about as dismissive a two-word sentence as possible.

Also Read: 'Empire' Season 2 Trailer: Chris Rock, Marisa Tomei Jump Into Cookie and Lucious' Power Struggle (Video)

Eggleston filed a $300 million lawsuit in May, accusing Fox and co-creators Daniels and Danny Strong of stealing her life story.

The plaintiff said in the suit she was a “drug kingpin” who spent time in prison for manslaughter after placing a “hit” on a man, according to media reports. Eggleston also claimed she wrote her life story in a memoir about her “early drug lifestyle” titled “The Hidden Hand.”

Eggleston then stated she traveled to Los Angeles and pitched her story to screenwriter Rita Miller, handing over a copy of “The Hidden Hand.” Eggleston’s copyright suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Michigan, states that Miller told Eggleston she was directly pitching Daniels. Miller is also a named defendant.

Also Read: Fox Chiefs Dana Walden, Gary Newman Talk 'Empire' Emmy Snub, Rebuilding Ratings and Why They Canceled 'Mindy'

The creator/executive producer, his showrunner Ilene Chaiken, and breakout star Henson also spent some time on Thursday teasing the sophomore followup to TV’s biggest new drama.

“You can’t compete with — it’s impossible,” Daniels told reporters when queried about following up on his unprecedented first season. Daniels did say that Season 2 would have a slower pace than the show’s frenetic freshman run.

Henson told journalists in the Beverly Hilton ballroom that the Season 2 idea was all about “taking apart the machine” they’ve created.

Chaiken allegedly had a more blunt explanation: “We’re here to fuck shit up,” Daniels and Henson both quoted her as saying.

TheWrap's TV Stars and Showrunners Exclusive Portraits (Updating Photos)

Taraji P. Henson, "Empire"
Grace Gealey, "Empire"
Kaitlin Doubleday, "Empire"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kaitlin Doubleday, "Empire"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, Thomas Middleditch and Zach Woods, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Martin Starr, Kumail Nanjiani, Thomas Middleditch and Zach Woods, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Thomas Middleditch, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Thomas Middleditch, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kumail Nanjiani, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kumail Nanjiani, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Zach Woods, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Zach Woods, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Jussie Smollett, "Empire"
Jussie Smollett, "Empire"
Jussie Smollett, "Empire"
Yael Grobglas, "Jane The Virgin"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Yael Grobglas, "Jane The Virgin"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Justin Baldoni, "Jane The Virgin"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Justin Baldoni, "Jane The Virgin"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Jaime Camil, "Jane The Virgin"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Jaime Camil, "Jane The Virgin"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Travis Van Winkle, "The Last Ship"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Travis Van Winkle, "The Last Ship"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Suzanne Cryer, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Suzanne Cryer, "Silicon Valley"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Elvis Nolasco, "American Crime"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Elvis Nolasco, "American Crime"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Richard Cabral, "American Crime"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Richard Cabral, "American Crime"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"American Crime" creator John Ridley
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"American Crime" creator John Ridley
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Anthony Mendez, "Jane The Virgin"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Anthony Mendez, "Jane The Virgin"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kether Donohue, "You're The Worst"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kether Donohue, "You're The Worst"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Stephen Bishop, "Being Mary Jane"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Stephen Bishop, "Being Mary Jane"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Sasha Alexander, "Rizzoli & Isles"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Sasha Alexander, "Rizzoli & Isles"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Richard Brancatisano, "Chasing Life"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Richard Brancatisano, "Chasing Life"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Joelle Carter, "Justified"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Joelle Carter, "Justified"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Joe Morton, "Scandal"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Joe Morton, "Scandal"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Titus Welliver, "Bosch"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Titus Welliver, "Bosch"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Jason Gedrick, "Bosch"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Jason Gedrick, "Bosch"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Beth Riesgraf, "Complications"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Beth Riesgraf, "Complications"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Breeda Wool, "UnREAL"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Breeda Wool, "UnREAL"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Christopher Larkin, "The 100"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Christopher Larkin, "The 100"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Cas Anvar, "The Expanse"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Cas Anvar, "The Expanse"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"Modern Family" Producer Chris Lloyd
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"Modern Family" Producer Chris Lloyd
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Elaine Hendrix, "Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Elaine Hendrix, "Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Erica Ash, "Survivor's Remorse"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Erica Ash, "Survivor's Remorse"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
RonReaco Lee, "Survivor's Remorse"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
RonReaco Lee, "Survivor's Remorse"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
RonReaco Lee and Erica Ash, "Survivor's Remorse"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
RonReaco Lee and Erica Ash, "Survivor's Remorse"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Ethan Embry, "Grace and Frankie"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Ethan Embry, "Grace and Frankie"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"The Thirteen" Executive Producer Jim Agnew
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"The Thirteen" Executive Producer Jim Agnew
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Michael Nouri, "The Slap"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Michael Nouri, "The Slap"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
John DeLuca, "Twisted"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
John DeLuca, "Twisted"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Bryshere "Yazz the Greatest" Gray, "Hakeem"
Bryshere "Yazz the Greatest" Gray, "Hakeem"
Donovan W. Carter, "Ballers"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Donovan W. Carter, "Ballers"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kaitlyn Dever, "Last Man Standing"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kaitlyn Dever, "Last Man Standing"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Danny Strong, Co-Creator and Showrunner "Empire"
Aileen Chaiken, Showrunner "Empire"
Keean Johnson, "Nashville"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Keean Johnson, "Nashville"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"Power" producer Courtney Kemp Agboh
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"Power" producer Courtney Kemp Agboh
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Lauren Stamile, "Complications"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Lauren Stamile, "Complications"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Marc Bendavid, "Dark Matter"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Marc Bendavid, "Dark Matter"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Stephen Monroe Taylor, "Texas Rising"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Stephen Monroe Taylor, "Texas Rising"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Patrick Fabian, "Better Call Saul"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Patrick Fabian, "Better Call Saul"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Pooch Hall, "Ray Donovan"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Pooch Hall, "Ray Donovan"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kerris Dorsey, "Ray Donovan"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Kerris Dorsey, "Ray Donovan"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Steven Bauer, "Ray Donovan"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Steven Bauer, "Ray Donovan"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Robert Bailey Jr., "The Night Shift"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Robert Bailey Jr., "The Night Shift"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"The Amazing Race" producer Bertram van Munster
Dan Busta/TheWrap
"The Amazing Race" producer Bertram van Munster
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Robert Michael Morris, "The Comeback"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Robert Michael Morris, "The Comeback"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Glynn Turman, "House of Lies"
Dan Busta/TheWrap
Glynn Turman, "House of Lies"
Dan Busta/TheWrap