Jamie Foxx (born
Eric Marlon Bishop;
December 13,
1967) is an
Academy Award-winning
American actor,
singer,
musician and
stand-up comedian. Foxx is possibly best known for his portrayal of musician
Ray Charles in
Ray. With
Ray, he became one of the few
African Americans to win the
Academy Award for Best Actor. Foxx received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame on
September 14 2007.
Early life
Foxx was born in
Terrell, Texas, the son of Louise Annette Talley Dixon and Darrell Bishop, who sometimes worked as a stockbroker and changed his name to Shahid Abdula after converting to
Islam.
[Rader, Dotson. Jamie Foxx. Timesonline.co.uk. 20 November 2005.] Shortly after his birth, Foxx was adopted and raised by his grandmother, Esther
["Oscar's Golden Foxx." Washingtonpost.com. 27 February 2005.] Marie (
née Nelson), a domestic worker and nursery operator, and Mark Talley, a yard worker.
[Jamie Foxx Biography.][[[Inside the Actors Studio]. Jamie Foxx, Season 11, Episode 1104.] 28 November 2004.] He has had little contact with his birth parents, who were not part of his upbringing.
Foxx was raised in the black quarter of
Terrell, Texas, at the time a racially segregated community
(In
The Kingdom, Foxx makes reference to Terrell). He had a strict
Baptist upbringing.
[Triple Golden Globe Nominee Jamie Foxx is Cathrine Hughes' Special Guest on "TV One On One." 11 January 2005.] He has frequently cited his adoptive grandmother's influence on his life.
[USATODAY.com - Jamie Foxx: New king of all media?]
