Jamie Foxx Finally Breaks Silence About His Mysterious Hospitalization and Near-Death Experience: ‘I Was Gone for 20 Days’

Jamie Foxx has finally broken his silence about what led to his mysterious hospitalization in April 2023.

The 56-year-old actor was hospitalized for an undisclosed medical emergency while filming the spy comedy Back in Action with Cameron Diaz. The star later said he was unable to walk and “saw the tunnel but not the light” as he fought to survive.

Foxx was filmed in Phoenix, he tells his fans about the medical emergency he suffered. He says it started with “a severe headache” that left him “asking for Advil.” Nearly three weeks later, he woke up with no memory of what had happened.

Oscar winner Foxx snapped his fingers and said, “I was gone for 20 days,” as fans around him reacted in bewilderment, adding that he “can’t remember anything at all.”

The Ray star said his sister and daughter took him to his “first doctor” and said: “The next doctor said, “[There’s] “There’s something going on up there,” he said, pointing to his head.

Jamie Foxx has finally broken his silence about what led to his mysterious hospitalization in April 2023

The 56-year-old actor was hospitalised for an unspecified medical emergency while filming spy comedy Back in Action with Cameron Diaz – with the star later revealing he could no longer walk – pictured in February 2023

The star will be seen in Back In Action with Diaz – he was able to return and finish filming for the Netflix project – which is out on November 15

He then said, “I won’t say it on camera.”

In December 2023, Foxx revealed that he had “seen the tunnel but not the light,” speaking openly about his near-death experience during his first public appearance since his shocking health crisis at the Critics Choice Association event.

The actor was visibly moved as he accepted the Vanguard Award during a 12-minute speech at the association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino and AAPI Achievements in Los Angeles.

Foxx admitted he couldn’t “walk” six months earlier, via Deadlinealthough he did not want to reveal too many details about the medical crisis that landed him in the hospital.

“You know, it’s crazy, I couldn’t do that six months ago,” he said after walking across the stage to the microphone. “I couldn’t walk then.”

“I want to thank everybody. I’ve been through something, I’ve been through some things,” he said to loud applause.

“I cherish every minute now — it’s different,” he continued. “I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy, because it’s hard when it’s almost over … when you see the tunnel. I saw the tunnel — I didn’t see the light.

“It was hot in that tunnel too, I don’t know where I was going. ‘S**t, am I going to the right place?’”

In his 12-minute speech, he also poked fun at a number of unfounded conspiracy theories that circulated while he was in hospital and subsequently out of the public eye for several months.

The star was filmed in Phoenix telling fans he was suffering from “a bad headache” and asked his “boy for Advil” – before waking up nearly three weeks later with no memory of what had happened

The Ray star said his sister and daughter took him to his “first doctor” and said, “The next doctor said,[There’s] there’s something going on up there” – pointing to his head

In December 2023, Foxx revealed that he “saw the tunnel but not the light” when he spoke openly about his near-death experience during his first public appearance since his shocking health crisis at the Critics Choice Association event.

“I’m not a clone, I’m not a clone. I know a lot of people who said I was cloned.”

“I have a new respect for life. I have a new respect for my art,” he added at the end of his speech.

Foxx also expressed praise and gratitude to his family, including his sister and daughter, for the way they cared for him during his recovery.

Foxx received his award at the beginning of the show, but unlike the rest of the recipients, his honor was not announced beforehand

He also told The Hollywood Reporter, “I have a new respect for life, I have a new respect for my art. I’ve watched so many movies and listened to so many songs, trying to make time pass.

“Don’t give up on your art, man, don’t give up on your art. When you realize that it could be over in an instant… I gotta tell you, don’t give up on your art and don’t let them take your art away from you.”

Foxx returned to Instagram for the first time on May 3 to thank his followers with a text message. “I appreciate all the love!!! I feel blessed,” he wrote at the time.

In July, Foxx first provided a detailed update on his recovery

In April, Foxx said he plans to reveal the details of his health scare in an upcoming comedy special — pictured with daughter Corinne in 2020

A source said VSWeekly: ‘Jamie is doing so much better and he’s starting to feel like himself again. He’s not 100 percent yet and he’s still taking it easy, but he’s definitely on the road to recovery.’

They added that Foxx “has a tremendous support system around him and his friends and family make sure he doesn’t bite off more than he can chew.”

‘Foxx is feeling great and can’t wait to get back to work when the time is right.’

He worked again on Beat Shazam and his Netflix film Back in Action.

Foxx plays Matt opposite Cameron Diaz as Emily, who came out of retirement to star in the film. It’s her first film since 2014’s Annie, in which Foxx also starred.

The characters are retired CIA spies who sacrifice their espionage lives to start a family.

They are, ‘“They are unexpectedly drawn back into the world of international espionage when their cover is exposed,” the description reads.

To film resumed shooting for this film on January 21 and the release is scheduled for November 15 this year,

In April, Foxx said he plans to reveal the details of his health scare in an upcoming comedy special.

His 30-year-old daughter Corrine, who stars with her father on the Fox series Beat Shazam, recently told ET that he’s doing “great” and has a new hobby: pickleball.

‘He’s doing so well, he’s doing great. I’m so grateful to be working on (Beat Shazam) “I spent so much time with him,” she said.

His 30-year-old daughter Corrine – who stars alongside her father in the Fox series Beat Shazam – recently told ET that he’s doing “great” as he takes up a new hobby: pickleball – pictured in 2022

“He plays a lot of pickleball! That man and pickleball; it’s like he plays twice a day, every day,” she said.

Corrine added of her father’s newfound pickleball obsession: “It’s a big thing. He’s totally into it.”

Corrine recently got engaged to Joe Hooten. She tells how her fiancé won her father over during a trip to Hawaii.

‘We were in Hawaii on a snorkeling tour and none of my family can swim. So we’re all in the middle of the ocean [and] “Everyone’s starting to drown,” she began.

“One by one, my fiancé would dive in, bring some back, dive in, bring some back. My dad said, ‘He’s a keeper! He saved the family,'” Corrine recalled.