He’s looking back on his humble beginnings on the eve of the premiere of his next film.
And Jamie Foxx reminisced about a particularly amusing passage from his early years on Wednesday, when he chatted with Yahoo Entertainment about his new Pixar film Soul.
The Ray star, 53, talked about his audition for the comedy review show In Living Color, which took place at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, California in the early 90s.
His big break: Jamie Foxx reminisced about a particularly amusing passage from his early years on Wednesday, when he chatted with Yahoo Entertainment about his new Pixar film Soul
In the audience, of course, was none other than Jennifer Lopez, who got her start as one of the dancing Fly Girls on the show.
Ever one to make a good impression, Jamie made sure to pay the future superstar a compliment.
‘I remember seeing her, and I say to her, “Hey, I have a girlfriend, I’m not hitting on you, but you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.” But we became friends because we were the rookies on the show.’
Fly girl: The Ray star talked about his audition for the show In Living Color, where he had a run-in with Jennifer Lopez – who he called ‘the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen’
Clearly, Jamie’s forwardness didn’t get in the way of landing the audition.
‘I go up on stage and I get a standing ovation. And then the next day I get a call that says “You gonna be on a show called In Living Color.” That was what I needed,’ the future Oscar winner recalled.
Jamie ended up on In Living Color for 96 episodes from 1991 until 1994.
Clearly, Jamie’s forwardness didn’t get in the way of landing the audition: He ended up on In Living Color for 96 episodes from 1991 until 1994
Still friendly: ‘We became friends because we were the rookies on the show,’ Foxx said of he and Lopez; seen this past January at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in LA
The discussion of Foxx’s big break came along with other cast members from the new Pixar film, including Tina Fey, Angela Bassett and Phylicia Rashad, each reminiscing about their own grueling starts in show business.
The protagonist in Soul, played by Jamie, gets his own big break in the beginning of the film – before he unwittingly ends up in the spiritual realm after falling through a pothole.
Recently, Jamie reflected that it was ‘amazing’ to be making history as the first black actor to voice a lead in a Disney Pixar film.
The protagonist in Soul, played by Jamie, gets his own big break in the beginning of the film: Before he unwittingly ends up in the spiritual realm after falling through a pothole
On last week’s The Project, Foxx said the world needed this ‘good, good news’ following the challenging year that has been 2020.
‘We had to turn it into something fantastic… and I believe that we did it. I’m so happy to be a part of it,’ he said of Soul.
And when asked if the timing of the movie felt ‘just right’ because of the Black Lives Matter movement this year, Jamie responded: ‘Oh my goodness, yes.
History-making: Jamie is the first black actor to voice a lead in a Disney Pixar film
‘We’ve gone through so many challenges, and we give so much to the culture, so much to society, so when we are going through these terrible things, it is beautiful to have a light.
‘It’s beautiful to have something that we can watch, and escape and be entertained [by] and get some smiles from. We are in need of some smileage!’
Soul premieres on Disney+ on Christmas Day.
Coming soon: Soul premieres on Disney+ on Christmas Day