Jamie Foxx in March of this year© Gilbert Flores

Jamie Foxx shares details of illness that left him hospitalized; 'I was gone for 20 days'

Foxx was hospitalized last year while working on the film "Back in Action"


Senior Writer
JULY 2, 2024 7:41 PM EDT

Jamie Foxx is shedding light on the mysterious illness that left him hospitalized. In an encounter with some fans, Foxx opened up about what happened to him in April of last year, revealing some of the symptoms he experienced and the impact they had on his body. 

Foxx made the revelation to some fans in Phoenix, Arizona in a moment that was captured on social media. In the clip, Foxx shares how the episode started. “Bad headache. Asked my boy for an Advil,” he said. Then he snapped his fingers and continued with the story. “I was gone for 20 days. I don’t remember anything.” 

He shared that he was in Atlanta, with his daughter Corinne and his sister, who took him to a doctor. At the time, he was shooting the film "Back in Action," with Cameron Diaz, with the shoot had to be postponed due to his health. 

At the doctor, Foxx revealed that he was administered a cortisone shot, which are injections that can relieve pain in certain areas. He soon learned that that wasn't enough and that there were more reasons to be concerned. “Next doctor said, ‘There’s something going on up there,’” said Foxx, motioning towards his head. When asked for further details, Foxx said no. “I won’t say it on camera."  

Seen here with dad Jamie Foxx, Corinne was revealed as Miss Golden Globes 2016 on Tuesday.
Photo: Getty Images© GettyImages
Jamie Foxx and his daughter Corinne, who supported him through his illness

Foxx's previous statements regarding his medical emergency

While Foxx hasn't revealed what it is that happened to him, he's discussed the impact that the health scare has had on his life. “I went through something that I thought I would never ever go through and I know a lot of people were waiting or wanting to hear updates but to be honest with you I just didn’t want you to see me like that man,” he said in an emotional video shared last July. 

“I want you to see me laughing, having a good time, partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie, television show,” he said. “I didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was going to make it through.”