Jamie Foxx is practically a household name. His name can be found in several genres and social mediums, playing an influential role to the masses. He has the heart of an entrepreneur and seizes the opportunity by having an eye for rising talent. Where does a versatile celebrity persona like this grow up?
Jamie Foxx was born Eric Marlon Bishop and grew up in Terrell, Texas with his adoptive grandmother.
Jamie Foxx is one of the most talented individuals of his generation. He is multifaceted and a chameleon of sorts with the different personalities he can play in any one part. He is a charismatic influencer and uses his influence to assist others to find their way to fame, for example, Ed Sheeran. It is usually the experiences that you have that influence your life path, so what was it like for Jamie growing up with the experiences and influences he had?
Jamie Foxx Growing Up In Terrell, Texas
Jamie grew up in the black quarter of Terrell. He often talks about the monumental influence his grandmother had on his life. His grandmother being a Baptist, provided a strict Baptist environment in the home. Jamie acted as choir leader and learned to play the piano at 5 years old.
Jamie was a gifted comedian to the point of being used as a gift. In elementary school, if the class behaved, she would allow Jamie to entertain them with a joke. In high school, Jamie was active in basketball and football, even holding the record as the first person in the school’s history to throw a pass over 1,000 yards.
Jamie received excellent grades in school which did not go unnoticed when he received a scholarship to attend the United States International University. He set aside his dreams of playing for the Dallas Cowboys and focused on the study of musical and performing arts composition.
Jamie’s natural talent coupled with education and ambition started him on the path of becoming a triple-threat in the entertainment industry.
It Started on A Dare
In 1989, Jamie accepted a dare from his then-girlfriend to get on stage during an open-mic night. He accepted. Usually, female comedians were called to the stage first, so he changed his name to Jamie Foxx. Jamie, an ambiguous name, in the hopes of being called sooner rather than later and avoid bias and Foxx in a tribute to Redd Foxx. From there, the rest is a whirlwind.
In 1991, Jamie had landed a part on ‘In Living Color’ as a recurring character, Wanda. He would go on to have his own series, ‘The Jamie Foxx Show’. In 1992, he made his film debut in ‘Toys’ and landed a significant role in the dramatic movie ‘Any Given Sunday’. Foxx continued to find his place in scripts, but it was his role with Tom Cruise in a movie called ‘Collateral’ that scored him a nomination for an Acadamy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
During this time, Foxx did not forget about his aspirations in music. He had two-billboard hits. One with rapper Twista’s song, and in conjunction with Kanye West, ‘Slow Jamz’. The other was Kanye West in ‘Gold Digger’ where Foxx sang the Ray Charles bit of ‘I Got A Woman’. In 2005, Jamie kept with the Ray Charles theme and was featured in the single ‘Georgia’ by Ludacris and Field Mob. Keeping this thee would go on to pay off big.
In 2004, Jamie portrayed Ray Charles in the film ‘Ray’. He took home the Academy Award for Best Actor and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. This is a profound accomplishment, being the third male in history to receive and he did it in the same year with ‘Collateral’ and ‘Ray’. By the following year, Jamie was cordially invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He had arrived.
This path to stardom was not the last of the awards that he received. He went on to receive several Grammy nominations and awards. His fame was cemented in 2007 when he earned his place among the stars on Hollywood Boulevard with his own.
Jamie stays in tune with his fans on his Twitter page. He will post things of interest to watch or experience and messages to his fans about current events. He is always on the lookout for rising talent and will lift them up through social media.
Jamie Foxx Is Thriving
His charismatic personality is contagious and his positive messages are enlightening. He credits his grandmother for his success and gives back to the community and rising stars when he can. Congratulations Jamie Foxx from Terrell, Texas. You have done well and we look forward to what else you can do.