Eric Marlon Bishop, better known by his stage name, Jamie Foxx, was born on December 13,1967 in Terrell, Texas. Jamie Foxx is a well-known actor, musician, and  comedian whose career began in 1989. He is one of the most diversely talented entertainers of the modern age.

Bishop was raised by his maternal grandparents after his parents split up, and by the age of five, he had taken an interest in music. He started playing the piano which eventually earned him a scholarship to the United States International University, now known as Alliant International University. His true love of music drove him to study classical piano and music theory.

As a student, Bishop started participating in shows at local comedy clubs. Here, his remarkable comedic talent was hard to miss, as his impressions made him a hit. Noticing that women often had a much easier time getting a spot at the open-mic nights, Eric Bishop started using the gender neutral name, Jamie Foxx.

In 1991, Jamie Foxx caught his first break when he won the Bay Area Black Comedy Competition. That win got him an audition for the sketch comedy show, In Living Color, and his character of Wanda impressed the show’s creator and star, Keenen Ivory Wayans, and secured Foxx a spot on the show. In 1996, he scored his own sitcom.

His interest in music never feigned, and he released his debut album, Peep This, in 1994. After his success as a television actor, he started appearing on the big screen. His first major role was in Any Given Sunday in 1999. His biggest role yet was portraying Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic, Ray, for which he earned an Academy Award.

Foxx has worked on a number of large projects including Collateral, Dreamgirls, The Soloist, Horrible Bosses, and Django Unchained. He has also produced a number of albums and musical projects with artists such as Kanye West and T-Pain.

In addition to his work as an award-winning, global entertainer, Foxx considers himself a family man, and uses his position to help others. He donates to and advocates for Do Something, an organization that promotes food drives. Although Jamie Foxx didn’t have much of a relationship with his biological parents, he maintains a strong relationship with his own family. He has two daughters, Corrine and  Anelise, and a younger sister.  DeOndra Dixon, who was an ambassador for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, of which Foxx is a supporter. Unfortunately, his sister passed away earlier this year, leaving him heartbroken.

Jamie Foxx continues to make movies, produce music, and perform stand up comedy, with new projects right on the horizon.

 Kassidy Garland has had a great appreciation for reading and writing since she was young. She graduated from West Chester University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English & Women and Gender Studies. With a concentration in creative writing, Kassidy has 5 years of experience writing blogs, articles, and for social media. Based out of Philadelphia, Kassidy loves to write about a number of topics and looks forward to sharing her passion with those at FunTimes Magazine.