As one of the most well-known entertainers in the business, Jamie Foxx has a career that spans over three decades.
He was first introduced as a comedic actor in popular 1990s series and films like “In Living Color,” “The Jamie Foxx Show,” and “Woo.” But his résumé has since expanded, and his acting skills have taken him all over the world.
Foxx used comedy to perfect his impression skills, which helped in biopics such as his portrayal of late musician Ray Charles in “Ray” and as Muhammad Ali’s assistant trainer Drew Bundini Brown in “Ali.”
He completely transformed into other beings by copying visuals or live versions of his character’s mannerisms, clothing, looks, and cadence during speech.
He joins Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, and Sidney Poitier as one of the four Black male actors to win an Academy Award for Best Actor.
The 55-year-old has starred in dozens of films, from sci-fi thrillers and dramas to action films and romantic comedies. His next movie is “Back In Action,” which reunites him with “Any Given Sunday” co-star Cameron Diaz and “Horrible Bosses” director Seth Green.
Filming for the project began at the end of 2022 in London before moving to Atlanta, where Foxx suffered a “medical complication” in April. His daughter Corinne, who initially revealed her father’s status on social media, and other family members have yet to disclose exactly what mysterious illness he endured. Due to Foxx’s absence, a stunt double was brought in to complete his final scenes. He has since seemingly has since slowly made his way back into the industry after recovering at a treatment facility in Chicago.
But lately, he’s been out in the streets playing pickleball and riding yachts through the city.
While we await the official plot and complete cast member list for “Back In Action,” here are 13 films that highlight the acting brilliance that comes from Jamie Foxx.
- They Cloned Tyrone (2023) Jamie Foxx plays one of the three main roles in the sci-fi mystery thriller alongside Teyonah Parris and John Boyega. He plays a smooth, fast-talking pimp named Slick Charles, Parris plays a working girl named Yo-Yo, and Boyega plays Fontaine. The unlikely trio worked together to get to the bottom of an undercover government cloning experiment in a predominately Black town. The project was filmed between late 2020 and early 2021.
- Django Unchained (2012) Will Smith turned down the lead role in the Quentin Tarantino film, which has received much criticism for its controversial plot and use of the N-word. However, Foxx proudly took on the role of Django, an enslaved man with a history of running away from his owners, who finds himself working with a German bounty hunter. They use their vital hunting skills to find and kill bad men, but Django’s real goal is to reunite with his wife, Broomhilda, portrayed by Kerry Washington. While many praised Foxx’s acting in the film, Spike Lee previously deemed it as “disrespectful to my ancestors.”
- Ray (2004) Foxx flawlessly pulled off his portrayal of the legendary musician Ray Charles. He was able to meet the blind pianist, who sadly passed away in June 2004, months before the film was completed. He had his eyes glued shut with silicone underneath prosthetic eyelids for up to 14 hours per day while filming. Foxx brought many to tears as he portrayed some of the most monumental moments in Charles’ career and life. His performance won an Academy Award for Best Actor.
- Soul (2020) Kids and families loved Foxx’s voiceover as Joe Gardener in this animated Oscar-winning movie as Pixar’s first black lead. He plays a passionate music teacher who has a freak accident and discovers his inner self while learning to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. The film was intended to have a theatrical release but was ultimately released on Disney+ due to COVID-19. It won two Oscars for Best Animated Film and Best Score in 2021.
- The Soloist (2009) Foxx played Nathaniel Ayers, a Julliard-trained musician who suffers from schizophrenia as he wanders the streets of Los Angeles’ Skid Row. Ayers was a talented violinist with a virtuoso’s skill level. The film starred Foxx opposite Robert Downey Jr. as Steve Lopez, a Los Angeles reporter doing a story on Ayers’ unusual life.
- Dreamgirls (2006) “Dreamgirls” is another one of Foxx’s highly praised movies where fans get to see him act, sing, and do a little dance as smooth-talking Curtis Taylor Jr. He goes from a Cadillac dealer to a record label owner after working with a trio of women who became the iconic Dreamgirls music group, based on a true story. The musical-style film also featured Jennifer Hudson, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Keith Robinson, Danny Glover, Loretta Devine, and more.
- Sleepless (2017) Jamie was kicking butt in this action film as an undercover Las Vegas police officer who later finds out his partner works for the opposing team. He ends up in a few fights within a local casino all while trying to recover his son from a mob boss. Internal affairs is also on his back between explosive scenes and lots of fighting to save his son’s life. His co-stars include Gabrielle Union, David Harbour, and rapper T.I.
- White House Down (2013) He joins Terry Crews, Danny Glover, Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lister Jr., and a few other actors who have portrayed a Black president in a film before and after former President Obama’s eight-year administration. Garcelle Beauvais, who played Foxx’s love interest turned wife on “The Jamie Foxx Show,” reunited with him as first lady. One of the film’s most memorable scenes features President James Sawyer protecting his foot gear as he yelled “Get your hands off my Jordans!!!!!!” while kicking a terrorist who had invaded the White House.
- Any Given Sunday (1999) Here, Foxx plays Willie Beamen, a football player on Al Pacino’s team, the Miami Sharks. He was a third-string player in the film and a stand-out character amongst others alongside Cameron Diaz and Dennis Quaid. In a segment for Netflix, Foxx acknowledges being in Hollywood “because all you really have is your talent and someone who’s able to see the talent.” He explained that he had difficulty portraying the character the way director Oliver Stone wanted him to. After more practice, he sen5 in a second audition, which won over Warner Bros. executives.
- Spider-Verse (2014-2021) Movie lovers and Marvel fans got to see another side of Jamie as Max Dillion, also known as Electro, in 2014’s “The Amazing Spider-Man 3” and 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” His villainous character was one of the deadliest foes and worked as an electrical engineer. The look of his character changed between both films due to fans’ lackluster response to his blue design.
- Rio & Rio 2 (2011-2014) In this kid-friendly movie franchise, Foxx voices the character of Nico, a yellow canary bird who wears a green bottle cap as a hat. He is also one half of the singing group with Pedro the cardinal. The cast is full of notable celebrities, singers, and artists who bring a group of animated characters to life. Nico brings fun and laughter to Blu and his friends, and no matter what the circumstance, he brings his vibrant personality too.
