Jamie Foxx

Eric Marlon Bishop, known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is a multifaceted talent in the American entertainment industry, excelling as an actor, comedian, and singer. He garnered widespread acclaim for his remarkable portrayal of legendary musician Ray Charles in the biographical film Ray (2004), a performance that earned him numerous prestigious awards including the Academy Award, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. Additionally, in the same year, he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the crime thriller Collateral.
Foxx's career trajectory witnessed a significant breakthrough with his involvement in the sketch comedy show In Living Color, where he showcased his comedic prowess until the show's conclusion in 1994. Building on this success, he ventured into television with his own sitcom, The Jamie Foxx Show, which he not only starred in but also co-created and produced from 1996 to 2001.
In the realm of film, Foxx's versatility as an actor has been demonstrated through a diverse range of roles in movies such as Booty Call (1997), Ali (2001), Jarhead (2005), Dreamgirls (2006), Miami Vice (2006), Django Unchained (2012), and Annie (2014), among others. He also showcased his talent in the superhero genre, portraying the supervillain Electro in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) and reprising the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Notably, his portrayal of Walter McMillian in Just Mercy (2019) earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.
Beyond acting, Foxx has enjoyed success as an R&B singer, achieving two number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Slow Jamz" by Twista featuring Kanye West, and "Gold Digger" by Kanye West. His single "Blame It" earned him a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. With several studio albums that have charted in the top ten of the U.S. Billboard 200, including Unpredictable (2005), Intuition (2008), Best Night of My Life (2010), and Hollywood: A Story of a Dozen Roses (2015), Foxx has solidified his presence in the music industry.
In addition to his achievements in acting and music, Foxx has also ventured into hosting, serving as the host and executive producer of the Fox game show Beat Shazam since 2017. Moreover, his literary endeavors include the publication of his autobiography Act Like You Got Some Sense in 2021, further showcasing his multifaceted talents and enduring impact on the entertainment landscape.


Jamie Foxx, originally born in Terrell, Texas, grew up in a household shaped by his adoptive parents, Esther Marie and Mark Talley. Raised in a racially segregated community, he had limited contact with his birth parents. Foxx credits his grandmother for being a significant influence in his life and fostering his success.
From a young age, Foxx displayed a talent for music, starting piano lessons at the age of five. He was actively involved in the Baptist church community, serving as a part-time pianist and choir leader at New Hope Baptist Church during his teenage years. His comedic abilities were evident early on, with teachers using him as a reward for good behavior by allowing him to tell jokes to his classmates.
Foxx attended Terrell High School, where he excelled academically and athletically, playing basketball and football. His dream was to play for the Dallas Cowboys, and he made history at his school by being the first player to pass for over 1,000 yards. Additionally, he pursued his passion for music by performing with a band called Leather and Lace.
Following high school, Foxx earned a scholarship to study musical and performing arts composition at United States International University. This educational opportunity laid the foundation for his future career in entertainment, where he would go on to achieve success as a multifaceted performer in acting, comedy, and music.


In 1989, Jamie Foxx took the stage at a comedy club's open mic night on a dare from his girlfriend. Aware of biases that often favored female comedians, he adopted the stage name Jamie Foxx, paying tribute to the iconic black comedian Redd Foxx, whose surname he adopted. Foxx's recurring character Wanda on In Living Color also shared a name with Redd's friend LaWanda Page.
After a stint in the comedy-drama sitcom Roc, Foxx starred in his own sitcom, The Jamie Foxx Show, which aired from 1996 to 2001 on the WB network. Foxx ventured into film with his debut in the 1992 comedy Toys. He transitioned to dramatic roles with Oliver Stone's 1999 film Any Given Sunday, drawing on his own football background to portray a hard-partying quarterback.
Foxx's breakthrough came in 2001 when he starred opposite Will Smith in Michael Mann's biographical drama Ali. His performance garnered critical acclaim, setting the stage for his role as taxi driver Max Durocher in Mann's Collateral (2004), alongside Tom Cruise. Roger Ebert praised Foxx's dramatic lead, hailing it as a revelation and earning him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Despite a commercial setback with his 1994 album Peep This, Foxx continued his musical pursuits, making a cameo in Benzino's music video for "Would You" in 2003. This multi-talented performer showcased his versatility, excelling in both comedic and dramatic roles while maintaining a presence in the music industry.


In 2003, Jamie Foxx made waves in the music industry with his collaborations with Kanye West. First, he featured on Twista's "Slow Jamz," which reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and No. 3 on the UK Singles chart. Shortly after, his second collaboration with Kanye West, "Gold Digger," soared to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, holding the No. 1 spot for an impressive 10 weeks. In this track, Foxx delivered a Ray Charles-inspired hook with the rendition of "I Got a Woman."
In addition to his musical success, Foxx showcased his acting prowess in the biographical film Ray (2004), portraying the legendary musician Ray Charles. His stellar performance earned him widespread acclaim, culminating in the Academy Award for Best Actor and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Remarkably, Foxx became only the third male actor in history, after Barry Fitzgerald and Al Pacino, to receive two acting Oscar nominations in the same year for two different movies, Collateral and Ray.
Following his Oscar win, Foxx released his second studio album, Unpredictable, in December 2005. The album debuted at No. 2 on the charts, selling nearly 600,000 copies in its first week and eventually reaching No. 1. With over 1.98 million copies sold in the United States alone, Unpredictable was certified double Platinum by the RIAA. Foxx's success in both music and film solidified his status as a multifaceted artist.
The title track "Unpredictable," featuring Ludacris, peaked in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles and made waves on the UK Top 20 singles chart. Another notable single from the album was "DJ Play a Love Song," reuniting Foxx with Twista. In the UK, the second single was "Extravaganza," featuring Kanye West, although Foxx did not appear in the song's music video. Foxx's achievement of both winning an Academy Award and achieving a No. 1 album in the U.S. placed him in elite company alongside icons like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Barbra Streisand.

References

1.  "Jamie Foxx Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic.
2. ^ "Famous birthdays for Dec. 13: Steve Buscemi, Jamie Foxx". United Press International. December 13, 2021. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
3. ^ "Monitor". Entertainment Weekly. No. 1237. December 14, 2012. p. 26.
4. ^ Boucher, Ashley (May 30, 2017). "The Internet Just Realized Jamie Foxx Isn't His Real Name". TheWrap. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
5. ^ "Jamie Foxx". TV Guide. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
6. ^ "Facts". jamie-foxx.us. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
7. ^ "Oscar's Golden Foxx (washingtonpost.com)". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved October 27, 2023.