In response to rumors about who will be making guest appearances in the upcoming season of the hit Fox drama series “Empire,” co-creator and executive producer Danny Strong threw cold water on the rumors.

The Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed reports that Strong talked about rumored appearances by celebs including Mariah Carey and Oprah Winfrey during Fox’s party at the TCA press tour. “None of those people are going to actually be on the show so I can’t control what names all of a sudden take off as being guest stars because they’re not,” Strong told the publication.

Strong’s comment comes during the midseason break in a star-studded second season that features guest spots by Alicia Keys, Vivica A. Fox, Chris Rock and Rosie O’Donnell, among others. “If anything, Strong says the show will be pulling back on such stunt casting when Empire returns March 30,” THR reports, quoting Strong saying: “In the second half of the season it’s going to be way lighter on the celebrity guest stars.”