For months, fans everywhere have been worrying about Jamie Foxx. The Oscar-winning actor was suddenly hospitalized for unknown reasons in April, and he has barely been seen since, leading to speculation that he was in dire health.
But now, Foxx is opening up for the first time about his hospitalization, revealing he went through “hell and back” and thanking fans for their support.
The Django Unchained star, 55, was hospitalized on April 11. His daughter Corinne stated that he had “experienced a medical complication,” but the actor himself remained silent for months.
In an Instagram video shared over the weekend, Foxx finally broke his silence. He thanked his fans for their thoughts and prayers: “I cannot even begin to tell you how far it took me, and how it brought me back,” he said.
He then explained why he chose to stay out of the public eye over the past few months. “I went through something that I thought I would never, ever go through. I know a lot of people were waiting, or wanting to hear updates, and to be honest with you – I just didn’t want you to see me like that.”
“I want you to see me laughing, having a good time, partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie, television show,” he added. “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.”
He thanked his daughter Corinne and sister Deidra Dixon for saving his life and helping him maintain his privacy over the past few months.
“Ya’ll know they kept it airtight. They didn’t let nothing out,” Foxx said. “They protected me, and that’s what I hope everyone can have in moments like these.”
Foxx’s decision to keep things private led to widespread concerns that his health was far worse than reported; an anonymous source said the family was “preparing for the worst,” though Corinne disputed these rumors.
“Now, you know, by being quiet sometimes things get out of hand,” Foxx said in the video, dispelling rumors that he was blind or paralyzed.
“But I did go through… I went to hell and back,” he added. “And my road to recovery had some potholes as well.”
But while it’s been a long road, Foxx said he is returning to work: “I’m coming back. And I’m able to work,” he said. “It’s because it’s been tough, man. I’ve been sick, man. But now, I’ve got my legs under me, so you’re gonna see me out.”
In response to his video, Foxx received words of support from several celebrities.
“Dear Jamie, So great to see your face today and hear you speak,” Barbra Streisand wrote on Twitter. “I’ve been sending you lots of love and light and will keep doing that forever.”
“I’m gonna bear hug the f**k outta you when I see you again,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson wrote on Instagram.
“Awww Man!! Who’s cuttin’ onions??” Will Smith wrote. “Love U Foxx!! Your Light Is Needed ‘n Appreciated Right Now!”
Michael B. Jordan, Viola Davis, Justin Timberlake, and LL Cool J were among the celebrities writing in to wish him well.
After months out of the spotlight, Foxx was spotted in public this month. He was seen waving to fans on a boat on the Chicago River, and even helped return a woman’s lost bag.
While Foxx has not returned to making movies, and sat out of hosting this season of Beat Shazam, he can be seen in the new movie They Cloned Tyrone and the upcoming comedy Strays. He also recently signed on to co-host a new game show with daughter Corinne.
It’s been a scary few months for Jamie Foxx fans, but we’re glad to see he’s back and doing well!
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