In 2005, Jamie Foxx won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his outstanding portrayal of Ray Charles in the movie “Ray.” The film depicted the life of the iconic American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Foxx was nominated alongside notable actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, Clint Eastwood, and Don Cheadle, making his victory even more impressive.
According to Cheatsheet, at the age of 55, Foxx received immense praise for his performance as Ray Charles and never expected to win an Oscar when he received the nomination. He shared that he took the Oscar season as an opportunity to celebrate and party. Reflecting on his reaction to the nomination, Foxx admitted that he didn’t take it seriously and thought there was no way he could win. He saw the nomination as a reason to enjoy himself and indulge in the festivities surrounding the award season. However, he later realized that his initial attitude was disrespectful to the nomination process.
Foxx revealed that his publicist expressed their disappointment with his lack of enthusiasm and reminded him that it was embarrassing. However, when he eventually won the Oscar, he experienced an emotional moment with his family and friends, realizing the significance of the achievement.
“When I was up for the Oscar I didn’t take it seriously at all. I thought there was no way to win that. I took Oscar season as an excuse to party. I was like, ‘Oh, I’m nominated? Break out the champagne and let’s party.’ I remember having paparazzi on me for the first time. I remember going absolutely nuts. I went to the Golden Globes and there was champagne involved and I was just wrong on the red carpet. I was disrespectful to the process.”
During the making of “Ray,” Jamie Foxx had the opportunity to interact with Ray Charles himself, who was actively involved in the casting process. Charles expressed his desire to meet Foxx after he was selected to portray him on screen. One of Foxx’s fondest memories of their time together was playing the blues with Charles. The singer openly shared details about his life, including his experiences with women and drugs, as well as his innovative musical talent. Foxx admired Charles’ simplicity and noted that there was no air of celebrity around him. He could sense that Charles was preparing for the next phase of his existence.
Director Taylor Hackford, in an interview, mentioned that during their first meeting, Charles even tried to teach Foxx some piano skills. Although Foxx was not particularly skilled on the piano, he managed to impress the late singer.
Playing the blues with him. And him telling me what went on in his life, being an open book when I asked him questions about the women and the drugs and about being so far ahead of his time. I’ll remember how simple he was – there was no ‘star’ thing.
“I could tell he was getting ready to move on to the next phase of his existence, on the other side.”
Jamie Foxx’s portrayal of Ray Charles in “Ray” remains one of the standout performances of his career, and his Oscar win solidified his talent and dedication to his craft.
