In this blog post, we will be talking about Jamie Foxx Biography on his early life, career, his personal life, family and more. Jamie Foxx, whose real name is Eric Morlon Bishop, is a highly versatile entertainer known for his diverse talents. He began his career in television as a member of the In Living Color cast and later had his own sitcom in 1996.
Foxx demonstrated his acting prowess in 2004 with notable performances in the thriller Collateral and the biographical film Ray. His portrayal of Ray Charles in the latter earned him an Academy Award. He also gained acclaim for his roles in Dreamgirls, Django Unchained, and Just Mercy.
Not only an actor but also a singer with five studio albums to his name. He won a Grammy Award for his track “Blame It” and is particularly renowned for his 2005 hit collaboration with Kanye West on “Gold Digger.” In April 2023, Foxx faced a medical emergency and was hospitalized, but he has since recovered.
Quick Fact On Jamie Foxx Biography
| FULL NAME: | Eric Marlon Bishop |
| BORN: | December 13, 1967 |
| BIRTHPLACE: | Terrell, Texas |
| CHILDREN: | Corrine and Anelise |
| ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: | Sagittarius |
Early Life on Jamie Foxx Biography
Jamie Foxx, originally named Eric Marlon Bishop and born in Terrell, Texas, had a complex family background. His biological parents, Darrell Bishop and Louise Annette Talley Dixon, abandoned him in infancy. His maternal grandparents became his adoptive parents. Darrell converted to Islam and changed his name to Shahid Abdula, which led to his decision to leave Jamie due to religious differences. Despite this, they later reconciled, and Abdula lived with Jamie for years.
Love music and sport. He excelled in basketball and football at Terrell High School, even becoming the school’s first quarterback to pass for over 1,000 yards. After graduation, he earned a classical piano scholarship to the U.S. International University in San Diego, where he studied music and experienced a diverse cultural environment.
His journey into entertainment began when friends encouraged him to perform at a comedy club’s open mic night during college. It was during this time that he adopted the stage name Jamie Foxx, inspired by comedian Redd Foxx for his last name and choosing a gender-neutral first name to increase his chances in the competitive world of stand-up comedy.
Early Career: TV Show, ‘Collateral,’ and First Album
After leaving college, Jamie Foxx headed to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy. His big break came in 1991 when he was hired as a regular cast member on the popular TV variety show In Living Color. Foxx’s audition took place at the renowned Laugh Factory comedy club in West Hollywood, where notable figures like Jim Carrey, Jennifer Lopez, Keenan Ivory Wayans, and David Alan Grier were in the audience. He eventually left In Living Color in 1994.
Two years later, Foxx made a television comeback with The Jamie Foxx Show, where he portrayed a struggling actor in Los Angeles living in his aunt and uncle’s hotel. Foxx not only starred in the show but also co-created and produced it through his company Foxxhole. Although the series didn’t achieve outstanding ratings, it had a five-season run and significantly contributed to elevating Foxx’s career.
Career on Jamie Foxx Biography
In the early 1990s, Jamie Foxx made his debut in the movie industry with a role in “Toys” (1992), alongside Robin Williams and Joan Cusack. During the same decade, he ventured into music, releasing the album “Peep This” in 1994, which featured a traditional and smooth R&B sound. The album achieved success, reaching No. 12 on the R&B and hip-hop charts, with the song “Infatuation” gaining attention from both listeners and radio stations.
While his early film roles included appearances in “The Truth About Cats & Dogs” (1996) and “The Players Club” (1998), Foxx garnered more recognition for his dramatic performance in “Any Given Sunday” (1998), directed by Oliver Stone. The movie, centered around a professional football team, also starred Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, and Dennis Quaid. Drawing from his high school football experience, Foxx even provided guidance to Al Pacino for his famous locker room monologue in the film.
Foxx’s next significant film role was in “Ali” (2001), directed by Michael Mann, where he portrayed Drew Bundini Brown, the assistant trainer of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali, played by Will Smith. However, it was his standout supporting role opposite Tom Cruise in the Michael Mann thriller “Collateral” (2004) that earned Foxx critical acclaim. In the film, he played a taxi driver kidnapped by a hitman (Cruise) and forced to transport him to various targets over one night. Roger Ebert praised Foxx’s performance, describing it as a revelation and noting his Oscar and Golden Globe Award nominations for the role.
Academy Award for ‘Ray’
Jamie Foxx achieved stardom by portraying Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic “Ray,” earning critical acclaim and winning Best Actor at the Oscars and Golden Globes. He underwent significant physical transformation and earned Ray Charles’ approval through a musical audition, dedicating his Oscar win to his late maternal grandmother in an emotional acceptance speech.
Continued Success: “Gold Digger,” ‘Django Unchained,’ and Spider-Man Role
Following his Oscar-winning performance as Ray Charles, Jamie Foxx continued to enjoy significant success in various aspects of entertainment. He achieved chart-topping musical success with the hit song “Gold Digger” in collaboration with Kanye West, further establishing himself as a multi-talented artist.
He also showcased his acting versatility in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained,” earning critical acclaim for his role as Django. Additionally, he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portraying the character Electro in the Spider-Man film series.
These accomplishments solidified Foxx’s status as a prominent figure in Hollywood, known for his remarkable talent and diverse contributions to the entertainment industry.
Recent Movie Roles: ‘Just Mercy’ and ‘Strays’
After a hiatus, Jamie Foxx returned to the screen in 2017 with films like “Sleepless” and “Baby Driver,” where he portrayed the villainous character Bats. He drew inspiration for this role from a friend he knew during his comedy club days. In the subsequent years, he showcased his acting prowess in movies like “Robin Hood” (2018), “Just Mercy” (2019), which held personal significance due to his father’s incarceration, and voiced the lead character in Pixar’s “Soul” (2020), a film he connected with on a personal level. Foxx also reprised his role as Electro in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) and is slated to play the title role in the upcoming comic book film “Spawn.” Additionally, he is set to appear in the comedy film “Strays” alongside Will Ferrell, marking his return to the big screen after recent health challenges.
Personal Life: Daughters, Relationships, and Health
Jamie Foxx has two daughters: Corrine, born in 1994 to his then-girlfriend Connie Kline, and Anelise, born in 2019. Foxx, although he has never married, has been open about his admiration for his daughter, referring to her as “incredible” in a 2017 interview.
Despite not embracing a traditional family life, Foxx has been in romantic relationships, including one with actor Katie Holmes, which began after her split from Tom Cruise in 2012. They kept their relationship private for several years before reports of their breakup emerged in August 2019.
Foxx has faced legal issues in the past, including an arrest in 2003 after an altercation with casino security guards in New Orleans, resulting in two years of probation. In 2018, he faced allegations of assault from a woman who claimed he had attacked her in 2002, which Foxx vehemently denied and vowed to take legal action against.
In April 2023, Foxx’s daughter Corinne announced his hospitalization due to an undisclosed medical emergency, sparking concerns about his health. However, she later revealed that he had been discharged and was on the road to recovery. Foxx addressed his hospitalization in July 2023, expressing gratitude for surviving the ordeal and describing it as a challenging experience.
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