JAMIE FOXX has been famous for a long time. Starting out as a stand-up comic in 1989, he’s been involved in music, television, radio and cinema ever since. Clearly a man of many talents, it’s no surprise that the awards have piled up, most famously his Best Actor Oscar, for Ray in 2005. In the same year, Foxx released a hit solo album and later went on to star in diverse movie projects Dreamgirls and Miami Vice. Obviously not one to rest on his laurels, it felt strangely coup-like to actually nail him down for an interview.
In the UK for the release of his latest film, The Kingdom, Foxx is storming through a gruelling press junket trail, somehow managing to remain enthusiastic and considered. He keeps his leather jacket zipped up, however, indicating that he’s not sticking around too long. We get straight down to business.
What was the attraction of The Kingdom, the art or the action?
The art of it, but then the action compliments it. You just can’t overlook the performance of Ashraf (the Saudi police officer); he breaks your heart. Our characters sharing those moments, hearing him say what he feels and seeing the decency of his character – reading that was what attracted me to the film.
What about the politics of it? It seems that the real sophistication is only revealed in the final lines.
The politics is at the beginning of the movie; here’s the oil, here’s the consumer… and it’s all money. But we’re the blue-collar workers, you see, we really can’t do anything. What we do is go to work, punch in the clock and this just happens to be a very long day at the office. Then, at the end of the movie, it’s back to square one.
Did the FBI co-operate with the filming?
Yeah, they showed us a real explosion and we actors were shocked but they just stood back and explained - it was like school. We had to learn to adopt that detached characteristic. We added the emotion.
Did that coldness shock you?
Of course, I’m the guy who wants to be in the linen, the sandals and the incense – “everything hurts me!” To see a guy, or especially a woman, completely business, thinking “if I’m not this way for one I won’t get this job and two I won’t be able to do it”. They can’t get emotional about anything.
You filmed out in UAE. Was that your first experience of a Middle Eastern country?
Yeah. In Abu Dhabi, Dubai, everything is just huge. I was amazed by the absolute money: the palace, the Mercedes… one hotel was Vegas on steroids. And they were very catering towards the tourist industry, which we don’t get to see a lot. In America we just see, from the television, propaganda – “every thing in the Middle East is bad”, but to go there you see it’s different.
What was it like being directed by Peter Berg, as an “actor-director”?
Pete Berg understands you, that sometimes we need to work fast to capture what’s going on. He didn’t put any marks on the ground or anything like that, he just wants to capture people where they are. And he knows how he wants the movie to flow, like an actor does. When you watch his movies like Friday Night Lights you feel like you’re inside the movie; that’s the actor muscle.
Have you ever worked with a director and thought, ‘you haven’t got a clue’?
The thing is, and I still don’t consider myself to be a movie star – I mean when I look at Will Smith I think “huh, I wanna be that dude!” – I know you have to start out how you start out. I worked with a guy early on [in my career] who never directed before in his life… and you could tell! It wasn’t that he was bad, just that great directors have a purpose, and some just don’t know what they want.
Since the Oscar you’ve done thoughtful roles and action roles but stayed away from comedy, which we assumed was your natural territory.
Well, there hasn’t been one that’s actually that good – right now its either completely slapstick or you just completely miss. I want to try and find something. You know, Ellen Barkin gave me great advice: “If you chase the money I will kick your…whatever! Do exactly what you’re doing!” So I try to chase the art of it and then hopefully the success will come, but I think we have to protect ourselves in that way and then find that great comedy, find that thing that’s never been done before. But until that comes, remain on that path of the integrity of the piece.
Did you tell your agent not to chase the money?
Actually, we said, “it doesn’t matter the age of the character, we can do it – we did it with Ray. It doesn’t matter where the character goes in range… just find that thing that no one else is looking for”. And then they find Soloist, which is [director] Joe Wright – who’s on fire right now after Atonement. Robert Downey Jr plays opposite me and it’s just a beautiful piece. So I’m protected because it’s another great character.
You’re involved in so many creative art forms; do you think we could someday see your Director’s vision?
No! (laughs) To be a director you have to have so much patience and I have ADD… in HD. I could see things, maybe create things, but I don’t think I have the patience to do that!
Neither does he have much time, it seems. We wrap up quickly as Mr Foxx is whisked away, on towards the next project. Aside from the Soloist, we’re not sure exactly what’s coming next, but if past habits are anything to go by, it’ll be worth catching and will almost certainly find a wide audience.
Jamie is so sexy. HE WAS REAL SEXY IN MIAMI VICE. HE IS SO SEXY.