Jamie Foxx has finally broken his silence on what led to his mysterious hospitalization in April 2023.
The 56-year-old actor was hospitalized for an unspecified medical emergency in mid-April 2023, while filming the spy comedy Back in Action with Cameron Diaz; the star later revealed he was unable to walk and “saw the tunnel but not the light” as he struggled to survive.
The star was filmed In Phoenix, she told her followers about her medical emergency: “I had a bad headache,” so she asked her “son for Advil.”
Foxx snapped his fingers and said, “I’ve been missing for 20 days,” adding that he “doesn’t remember anything.”
The Ray star said his sister and daughter took him to his “first doctor” and told him: “The next doctor said, “Something’s going on up there,” pointing to his head.
Jamie Foxx has finally broken his silence on what led to his mysterious hospitalization in April 2023.
The 56-year-old actor was hospitalized for an unspecified medical emergency in mid-April 2023, while filming the spy comedy Back in Action with Cameron Diaz; the star later revealed he was unable to walk; pictured in February 2023.
Then he said, “I won’t say it on camera.”
In December 2023, Foxx revealed that he “saw the tunnel but not the light” when speaking about his near-death experience in his first public appearance since his shocking health scare at the Critics Choice Association event.
The actor was visibly moved as he accepted the Vanguard Award in a 12-minute speech at the association’s Film & Television Celebration, honoring Black, Latino and AAPI achievements in Los Angeles.
Foxx admitted he couldn’t “walk” six months earlier, via Deadlinealthough he refrained from revealing too many details about the medical crisis that landed him in the hospital.
“You know, it’s crazy. I couldn’t do that six months ago,” he said after walking across the stage to the microphone. “I couldn’t even walk.”
“I want to thank you all. I’ve been through something, I’ve been through some things,” she said to thunderous applause.
“I’m enjoying every minute of it now, it’s different,” he continued. “I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy because it’s hard when it’s almost over… when you see the tunnel. I saw the tunnel, I didn’t see the light.
“It was hot in that tunnel too, I didn’t know where I was going. Shit, am I going to the right place?”
In his 12-minute speech, he also played down some of the baseless conspiracy theories that were spread while he was hospitalized and then out of the public eye for several months.
The star was filmed in Phoenix telling fans about his medical emergency, “I had a really bad headache” so he asked his “friend” for an Advil. Foxx snapped his fingers and said, “I was gone for 20 days,” adding that he “doesn’t remember anything.”
The Ray star said his sister and daughter took him to his “first doctor” and said, “The next doctor said, ‘(There’s) something going on up there,'” pointing to his head.
“I’m not a clone, I’m not a clone. I know a lot of people who said I was a clone.”
“I have a new respect for life. I have a new respect for my art,” he added towards the end of his speech.
Foxx also shared his praise and thanks to his family, including his sister and daughter, for how they had helped care for him while he recovered.
Foxx received his award at the beginning of the show, but unlike the other honorees, his honor was not announced in advance.
He also told The Hollywood Reporter: “I have a new respect for life, I have a new respect for my art. I watched so many movies and listened to so many songs trying to make time pass.”
“Don’t give up on your art, man, don’t give up on your art. When you realize it could end like this… I have to tell you not to give up on your art and don’t let it be taken away from you either.”
Foxx returned to Instagram on May 3 to thank his followers with a text message. “I appreciate all the love!!! Feeling blessed,” he wrote at the time.
The actor is currently recovering from an illness that kept him off the set in April and away from filming Back in Action, in which he stars alongside Cameron Diaz, and recently delighted fans when he stepped out in public looking healthy and happy.
In July, Foxx gave a detailed update on his recovery for the first time.
A source said US Weekly“Jamie is doing much better and is starting to feel like himself again. He’s not 100 percent and is still taking things easy, but he’s definitely on the road to recovery.”
They added that Foxx “has a great support system around him and his friends and family make sure he doesn’t take on too much responsibility.”
“Foxx is feeling great and is excited to get back to work when the time is right.”