Jamie Foxx stands out in an industry filled with talented celebrities. Indeed, this talented actor, singer and comedian seems to excel at everything he tries! Today, we acknowledge the accomplishments of this skilled star with our Hollywood Spotlight.
Hollywood Beginnings
Jamie Foxx’s first foray into the entertainment industry was as a comedian. After starting a stand-up career, he joined In Living Color, a sketch comedy show that defined itself by its differences from the long-revered Saturday Night Live. The creation of the famous Wayans family, In Living Color helped propel many beginning performers to greatness including Jennifer Lopez, Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier and Rosie Perez. Appearing on the show for three years, Jamie Foxx made a name for himself as a talented impersonator and comedian. In fact, his recurring character of Wanda Wayne is widely considered to be the most popular part of the show.
After experiencing such early career success, it is no wonder that Jamie Foxx quickly landed his very own show! The Jamie Foxx Show (1996-2001) joined the lineup at the newly-formed WB. Throughout its five seasons, fans adored the show. Unfortunately, due to its fledgling network home, many overlooked the funny, brash and lively comedy. Luckily, The Jamie Foxx Show did provide a place for the star to shine. And there was much to come in this celebrity’s burgeoning career!
An Icon on the Screen
In 2004’s biopic Ray, Jamie Foxx played rhythm & blues musician Ray Charles, with Kerry Washington as his wife Bea. Jamie Foxx’s turn as the singer was incredible! Critics praised his ability to embody the legendary performer. Although he is a talented singer himself, Jamie Foxx did not attempt to mimic Ray Charles’ easily recognizable singing voice. However, the classically-trained pianist did perform on the piano! Not surprisingly, the independent film performed well at the box office.
Jamie Foxx was universally acknowledged for the skill he brought to the role. In fact, he earned the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild and Critics’ Choice for Best Actor. Moreover, he was only the second actor in cinema history to sweep top awards for the same project.
Even more impressive is he was also up for another Oscar at the same ceremony! His turn in Collateral (2004) earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination.
A Proven Triple Threat
Aside from extremely successful acting and comedy careers, Jamie Foxx has considerable musical abilities. In fact, the star studied music at United States International University on scholarship. And since solidifying his Hollywood status, he has gained notable acclaim in the world of music.
In addition to releasing five studio albums himself, Jamie Foxx is a frequent collaborator. Indeed, he has worked with some of the world’s best known singers including Kanye West, Mary J. Blige and Ludacris. Moreover, his collaboration with T. Pain on “Blame It” even won a Grammy Award. Might this diversely-talented star be an eventual EGOT holder?
Other works on Jamie Foxx’s resume include: The Truth About Cats and Dogs (1996), Any Given Sunday (1999), Miami Vice (2006), The Soloist (2009), Valentine’s Day (2010), Due Date (2010), Horrible Bosses (2011), Rio (2011), Django Unchained (2012), White House Down (2013), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), Annie (2014), Baby Driver (2017), Beat Shazam (2017 – current) and Just Mercy (2019).
Passionate Causes
Like many of his Hollywood colleagues, Jamie Foxx has a large presence in philanthropy. His namesake organization, The Jamie Foxx Foundation, works toward the health education and welfare of children. He can also be seen participating at numerous charity sports games. And, at this time of societal crisis, the star is a prominent fixture in the mission of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Another charity close to his heart is Global Down Syndrome Foundation. Jamie Foxx’s younger sister, DeOndra Dixon, has Down syndrome and works with the foundation herself as an ambassador. The siblings actively advocate for the group and the population it serves.
What’s Next?
This busy star has a few projects we can expect soon in the future. On November 20, 2020, theaters will premier Soul. The animated Disney movie stars Jamie Foxx as the voice of Joe Gardner, a dedicated music teacher. Tina Fey, Questlove, Angela Bassett and Phylicia Rashad co-star.
But one of the most exciting Jamie Foxx movies we are looking forward to is All-Star Weekend. Indeed, the star will be busy on this project! He co-wrote the screenplay and is acting, directing and producing the ensemble sports film. Moreover, the cast of the movie reads like a who’s who of Hollywood. Along with Jamie Foxx, All-Star Weekend stars Eva Longoria, Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Piven, Ken Jeong, Gerard Butler, DJ Khaled and Benecio del Toro. Seems this movie will live up to its title! We wish Jamie Foxx the best of luck on this exciting project.