Jamie Foxx Biography Quotes 3 Report mistakes
| 3 Quotes | |
| Occup. | Actor |
| From | USA |
| Born | December 13, 1967 |
| Age | 58 years |
Jamie Foxx was born Eric Marlon Bishop on December 13, 1967, in Terrell, Texas, USA. He was raised primarily by his maternal grandparents, Estelle and Mark Talley, who provided a stable home that blended discipline, church, and music. His mother, Louise Annette Talley Dixon, and his father, Darrell Bishop, were part of his story, but it was his grandparents who nurtured his early talents. Foxx learned piano as a child and sang in church, absorbing gospel harmonies while listening to R&B, soul, and classic pop at home. At Terrell High School, he was a standout student and a multisport athlete, known particularly for playing quarterback. His musical ability earned him a scholarship to the United States International University, where he studied classical music and composition, building technique that would later support his work as a singer, songwriter, and film composer.
Finding His Voice in Comedy
Foxx found his way to stand-up in the late 1980s after friends dared him to take the stage at an open mic. Early on, he adopted the stage name Jamie Foxx, both as a nod to comedian Redd Foxx and because the gender-neutral first name helped him get onto packed club lineups that often favored female comedians. He developed a style that fused sharp observations, musical mimicry, and quick turns of character. The blend of music and comedy became his signature, allowing him to move easily from jokes to piano-backed impressions.
Breakthrough on Television
His big break arrived in the early 1990s with the sketch series In Living Color, created by Keenen Ivory Wayans, where he performed alongside talents like Damon Wayans, Jim Carrey, and David Alan Grier. Foxx's gallery of outrageous characters showcased his wide range and timing. He parlayed that momentum into The Jamie Foxx Show (1996-2001), which he co-created and headlined on the WB network. The sitcom, featuring Garcelle Beauvais, Christopher B. Duncan, Garrett Morris, and Ellia English, gave Foxx a platform to mix slapstick, romance, and music, and it cemented his status as a bankable television star.
Transition to Film
Foxx's early film roles included Toys and The Great White Hype, but his performance as a brash quarterback in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday (1999), opposite Al Pacino and LL Cool J, hinted at dramatic depth. He followed with Ali (2001), playing Drew Bundini Brown alongside Will Smith. The pivotal year came in 2004. In Collateral, directed by Michael Mann, Foxx delivered a nuanced turn as a Los Angeles cab driver caught in the orbit of a contract killer played by Tom Cruise, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. That same year he portrayed Ray Charles in Ray, a transformative performance that required him to master Charles's physicality at the piano and the emotional contours of the musician's life. Under director Taylor Hackford, and with input from Ray Charles before the music legend's passing, Foxx's portrayal won the Academy Award for Best Actor, along with major honors from the Golden Globes, BAFTA, and the Screen Actors Guild. The rare feat of double Oscar nominations in a single year established him as a leading dramatic actor.
Versatility Across Genres
After Ray, Foxx moved fluidly among genres. He rejoined Michael Mann for Miami Vice (with Colin Farrell) and took roles in Jarhead (with Jake Gyllenhaal), Dreamgirls (opposite Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson), The Kingdom (with Jennifer Garner), and The Soloist (with Robert Downey Jr.). He showed a darker edge in Law Abiding Citizen (with Gerard Butler) and a lighter touch in Due Date and Valentine's Day. Quentin Tarantino cast him in Django Unchained, where Foxx starred opposite Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson, fusing stoic heroism with sly humor. He later played the President in White House Down with Channing Tatum, lent his voice to animated hits Rio and Rio 2, and led the modernized musical Annie with Quvenzhane Wallis and Cameron Diaz. As Max Dillon, also known as Electro, he entered the superhero world in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and returned to the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home. He embodied a menacing volatility in Baby Driver, partnered with Michael B. Jordan in Just Mercy, and became the voice of a middle school music teacher searching for meaning in Pixar's Soul, acting opposite Tina Fey. He continued to balance action, comedy, and drama in projects like Project Power, Day Shift, and beyond.
Music Career
From the outset, music was a parallel track. Foxx released his debut album, Peep This, in the 1990s, but his mainstream breakout as a recording artist came in the 2000s. He became a sought-after collaborator, notably with Kanye West and Twista on Slow Jamz, and with West on Gold Digger, where his Ray Charles-inspired hook helped drive the song to the top of the charts. His album Unpredictable reached wide audiences, powered by the title track with Ludacris and DJ Play a Love Song with Twista. Intuition yielded Blame It with T-Pain, which won a Grammy Award and became a club staple. Subsequent releases, including Best Night of My Life and Hollywood: A Story of a Dozen Roses, reaffirmed his strengths as a vocalist steeped in R&B, soul, and pop. Onstage and on record, the classical piano training and church roots he cultivated in Terrell remained central to his sound.
Producer, Host, and Entrepreneur
Beyond acting and music, Foxx built a presence as a host and producer. He launched The Foxxhole on SiriusXM, a comedy and music channel that spotlighted his improvisational chops and amplified voices from his circle. On television, he co-created and headlined the Netflix sitcom Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!, inspired in part by his relationship with his daughter Corinne. He also became the face of the music game show Beat Shazam on Fox, where Corinne Foxx joined him as a co-host and DJ, making the series a family collaboration. Across these ventures, he developed a reputation for mentoring younger performers and leveraging his platform to create opportunities across comedy, acting, and music.
Personal Life
Foxx is the father of two daughters, Corinne and Anelise, and he has often spoken about how fatherhood grounds his choices. Corinne, who has worked as a model, actress, and producer, became a frequent professional partner when Beat Shazam brought them together onscreen. He has generally kept his relationships private, even as a high-profile partnership with Katie Holmes drew public attention for a time. Throughout his career, Foxx has supported causes tied to youth arts education and community development, reflecting the influence of his grandparents and the importance of early mentorship in his own life.
Health and Resilience
In April 2023, while working on a film, Foxx experienced a medical complication that led to hospitalization. His daughter Corinne shared updates as he recovered, and Foxx later publicly thanked his family and medical team for their care. The episode prompted an outpouring of support from collaborators and fans. He returned to public life gradually, resuming hosting duties and screen work, and spoke about gratitude and faith as guiding forces during recovery.
Legacy and Influence
Jamie Foxx's career defies easy categorization. Raised by grandparents who prized discipline and artistry, he fused church roots with comedy-club hustle, conservatory training with pop instincts. On camera, he has moved from sketch comedy to sitcoms to prestige dramas, building a resume that features collaborations with Oliver Stone, Michael Mann, Taylor Hackford, Quentin Tarantino, and Edgar Wright, and co-stars ranging from Tom Cruise and Will Smith to Jennifer Hudson and Leonardo DiCaprio. In music, his Grammy-winning work with T-Pain and hit collaborations with Kanye West and Twista underscored his credibility as a singer and hitmaker. His partnership with his daughter Corinne on Beat Shazam highlighted a family dimension to his public life that fans embraced.
The breadth of his achievements - an Academy Award-winning performance in Ray, chart-topping singles, acclaimed voice work, and enduring comedic presence - has made Foxx a singular figure in American entertainment. His path from Terrell to global stages illustrates a rare versatility, and his resilience has reinforced a legacy shaped as much by adaptability and mentorship as by awards and box-office success.
Our collection contains 3 quotes who is written by Jamie, under the main topics: Music - Legacy & Remembrance - I Love You.
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