by When it was announced in 2003 that Jamie Foxx would be taking on the role of musical legend Ray Charles in the upcoming biopic Ray, many were skeptical. Could the actor and comedian, known primarily for his work in comedies, convincingly portray one of the most influential musicians in American history? But Foxx was determined to prove the naysayers wrong. Taking on the role of Ray Charles would require overcoming immense personal and professional challenges, but Foxx’s extraordinary talent and work ethic allowed him to deliver one of the most celebrated performances in cinema history.
Preparing for the Role
Foxx had huge shoes to fill, quite literally. He was a slender 5’9” while Ray Charles was 6’2” and stocky. Foxx would need to gain 30 pounds to match Charles’s imposing physical profile. He embarked on a regimented diet, eating eggs, chicken, rice, potatoes, and protein shakes to put on weight rapidly. In addition to gaining weight, Foxx had entire molds made of his face so that prosthetic pieces could be fabricated to make his features resemble Charles. These included prosthetic earlobes, nose, cheekbones, jaw, and latex eyelids that would make Foxx’s eyes appear closed to mimic Charles’ blindness.
Beyond physicality, Foxx immersed himself in Charles’s life and music. He read Charles’s autobiography, Brother Ray, and watched archival footage of interviews and performances. Foxx learned to mimic Charles’s gestures, mannerisms, and unique gait. He spoke to people who knew Charles well, like famed saxophonist Benny Carter. He also took piano lessons, practicing up to 14 hours a day. Foxx was determined to learn how to play piano convincingly, without relying on camera trickery or hand doubles. His intense preparation paid off, as Foxx played live piano in the film and even recorded tracks for the film’s soundtrack.
Portraying a Blind Man
One of the biggest challenges was portraying Charles’ blindness authentically. Foxx wore prosthetic eyelids and opaque contact lenses, limiting his vision. But he didn’t want to rely on props, telling director Taylor Hackford, “I want to walk into something or not be able to find something and really look blind.”
Foxx went to extraordinary lengths, putting himself through exercises to experience Charles’ loss of vision. He would wear blindfolds for days on end, learning how to navigate unfamiliar spaces like Charles had to. Foxx walked around with his eyes closed, softly colliding with objects and people. He learned how Charles mastered his surroundings using his other senses. Foxx also studied how Charles’ eyes looked when he performed, ensuring the actor’s eye movements and unfocused gaze would be convincing without looking exaggerated.
Capturing Charles’ Essence
Foxx made sure to capture Charles’ essence, not just mimic his appearance and mannerisms. He tapped into Charles’ confidence, humor, anger, and vulnerability. Foxx said, “I would study Ray’s breaths. The way he breathed, the way he would sigh.” Foxx focused on subtleties like Charles’ breathing techniques while singing and playing. The actor was determined to be so authentic that his rendition of Charles classics like “Georgia on My Mind” and “I Got a Woman” would make audiences feel like the legendary musician was back on stage performing for them.
Foxx’s extraordinary Method acting paid off. When Ray Charles himself heard a recording of Foxx singing “I Got a Woman,” Charles remarked that hearing his vocals so expertly impersonated made it seem like he was listening to himself. Foxx took that as the highest praise.
Bringing the Soul and Pain
Central to Foxx’s portrayal was capturing Charles’ unique soulfulness. He brought heart-wrenching emotion to scenes conveying Charles’ troubled upbringing and the death of his younger brother. The screen lights up with Foxx’s intensity during an impassioned scene where a young Charles watches his brother drown. Foxx makes palpable Charles’ anguish, guilt, and anger over this traumatic loss.
Some of the film’s most poignant scenes feature Charles grappling with the ironic cruelty of a musical genius losing his sight. Foxx channels Charles’ fears, frustrations, and determination not to be defined by blindness. Foxx said he understood Charles’ struggle to retain his dignity and musical gifts in the face of such loss. The actor was able to powerfully convey those complex emotions due to his deep connection with the character.
Foxx’s raw vulnerability also shines through in scenes dealing with Charles’ struggles with addiction and infidelity. The actor gives dimensionality to Charles rather than portraying him as simply heroic. Foxx said he didn’t want audiences “to look at Ray Robinson and see a statue that never made mistakes. I wanted people to see his faults, his insecurities, how he overcame things.” By embracing all facets of this icon, Foxx gave a nuanced depiction of a complicated man.
The Risks Foxx Took
Historically, biopics of Black icons have minimized their flaws, but Foxx insisted on showcasing Charles’ darker side. He fought to keep scenes like Charles hitting his wife and being unfaithful despite some studio concerns. Foxx explained, “We wanted to tell the truth. The only way to do right by Ray Charles was not making some untouchable icon.”
Taking artistic risks paid off for Foxx, as critics praised his multidimensional portrayal of a musical genius. Foxx himself said, “A lot of times, Black people are made to be perfect, and we know that’s not possible. I wanted audiences to relate to Ray Charles and see themselves in him.” By embracing Charles’ complexity, Foxx gave audiences a profoundly human portrayal.
Foxx also took risks highlighting Charles’ experiences with racism, including being banned from Georgia’s whites-only concert halls. The actor insisted, “We had to show what Black performers faced…those kinds of racial indignities.” Foxx knew Charles’ achievements were even more inspiring considering the rampant racism he had to overcome.
Transformational Role
Foxx’s background as a musical performer gave him insight into Charles’ brilliance. But the actor’s transformation went far beyond surface imitation. Foxx occupied Charles’ spirit completely. The actor said his biggest challenge was “getting out of the way of the character and letting Ray Charles take over.” Foxx allowed himself to channel Charles so fully that he began hearing the musician’s voice in his head.
Foxx disappeared so completely into the role that he needed to go to therapy after filming because he couldn’t get Charles’ voice out of his mind. Foxx said, “I realized that when I play these people, they take a toll on me because I’m desperately trying to get it right.” His total commitment is clear in every scene and song performance. Foxx became Ray Charles.
When audiences first see Foxx as Ray, he is eerily identical to the musician in look, voice, and mannerism. But Foxx’s performance only deepens as the film progresses. He conveys raw despair in the scene after young Ray learns his eyesight is deteriorating. We feel Charles’ passionate joy singing on stage. Foxx is so convincingly Charles that it no longer feels like mimicry or imitation. He lifts Ray Charles from the pages of history and makes him live again on screen.
Acclaim for the Performance
Upon the release of Ray in 2004, it was clear that the naysayers who doubted Foxx were proved wrong. His performance was met with unanimous praise from critics, with Roger Ebert proclaiming that “Foxx gets the legend down without neglecting the man inside.” Foxx earned the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG, and Critics Choice Award for Best Actor.
Foxx is the first person to be nominated for acting, singing, and producing in a single year for the same film. The American Film Institute ranked his portrayal of Ray Charles 23rd on their list of the 100 greatest film performances of all time. Foxx stands shoulder to shoulder with screen legends like Robert De Niro in Raging Bull and Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln.
Perhaps the person who summed up Foxx’s achievement best was Ray Charles himself. After attending the film’s premiere, Charles remarked, “I know that not only did Jamie sound like me, but I think somewhere, somehow in that spiritual thing, he got over into me and got that thing. He did it to the heart and to the soul.” For an iconic musician like Ray Charles to validate that Foxx fully captured his essence is the ultimate praise.
Foxx succeeded in reinventing himself, proving his versatility and talent ran far deeper than anyone realized. Portraying Ray Charles launched Foxx into the highest echelon of film acting. It paved the way for other serious dramatic roles that Foxx took on later like Django Unchained, Collateral, and Baby Driver. Foxx has cited playing Charles as profoundly life-changing, giving him “the opportunity to grow.”
Ray will forever stand as the role that exemplifies Foxx’s extraordinary ability to inhabit a character completely. His flawless embodiment of an icon made Jamie Foxx himself iconic. Portraying Ray Charles was a risk, but Foxx’s once-in-a-lifetime performance made it the greatest triumph of his career.
