It’s been a long, difficult road, but Jamie Foxx is finally back where he belongs – on the stage, captivating audiences with unparalleled talent and charisma. More than 18 months after a mysterious medical emergency left the Oscar-winning actor hospitalized for weeks, Foxx took the stage in Atlanta earlier this month, delivering a profoundly personal one-person show that gave fans a glimpse into his harrowing journey.
In a powerful Instagram post, the 56-year-old star described feeling “pure joy” as he performed his show, “One More Chance: An Evening with Jamie Foxx.” Foxx explained that the Atlanta shows provided him the opportunity “to tell my side of the story” about the health scare while filming the Netflix comedy “Back in Action” in the Georgia capital.
“God is good…. As I post these pictures, my heart and soul are filled with pure joy,” Foxx wrote, sharing a carousel of photos from the performances. He went on to express his gratitude to the Atlanta audience, writing, “I have to thank you, Atlanta, you showed up and you showed out; I haven’t been on stage in 18 years, but I needed the stage, and I needed an audience that was made up of nothing but pure love, and that’s what you were.”
Foxx returns to the stage after a prolonged period of uncertainty and concern for his well-being. Back in April 2023, the beloved actor and comedian was hospitalized with what his family described as a “medical complication.” Details about his condition were scarce, but in July, Foxx himself shared some insight, telling a crowd that his symptoms began with a “bad headache” before he was “gone for 20 days” and didn’t “remember anything.”
During an emotional acceptance speech at the Critics Choice Awards in December, Foxx revealed that, at one point, he “couldn’t walk.” But through it all, he maintained a steadfast determination to overcome the challenge and return to the spotlight – a goal he has now triumphantly achieved.
In his recent Instagram post, Foxx clarified that his Atlanta shows were not just ordinary stand-up comedy performances. “When people ask me is this a stand-up comedy show, I say no; it’s an artistic explanation,” he wrote, hinting that the production delved deeply into his personal health journey.
Foxx’s daughter, Corinne Foxx, who walked him down the aisle at her wedding in September, provided some additional insight. She told Vogue that it was “extraordinary” to have her father by her side, “considering his health scare last year.”
Gayle King, who attended one of the Atlanta shows, offered further details, sharing a backstage video on Instagram. In the clip, Foxx tells King that opening up about his “wounds” on stage was “excruciating,” he admits to being unsure of how the audience would react. However, based on Foxx’s words, the experience was ultimately one of catharsis and “pure joy.”
As Foxx looks ahead, he has hinted that his Atlanta shows may not be the last time fans hear his story. In his Instagram post, he revealed that the production is being taped, presumably for a forthcoming Netflix special that will allow Foxx to share his journey with an even wider audience.
For those who have followed Foxx’s career and admired his resilience, this return to the stage is a triumphant moment—a testament to the power of the human spirit and the healing properties of art. As the actor himself put it, “I needed the stage, and I needed an audience that was made up of nothing but pure love, and that’s what you were.” Judging by the outpouring of support and admiration, that’s precisely what Foxx found.