Jamie Foxx

How the actor's body fluctuated for five famous roles

Role: Willie Beamen
Year: 1999
What he did to prepare: "I really had to bulk up. I got up to about 200 pounds, then lost 25 pounds once I went down to training camp because of all the workouts, and water lost. It made me look bigger on the screen because I was tighter."

Role: Drew "Bundini" Brown
Year: 2001
What he did to prepare: "I was about 220, just fat. I ate anything I wanted and I was fat."

Role: "Tookie" Williams
Year: 2004
What he did to prepare: "I had to get up to 225 pounds of all muscle and gut. When I was playing Tookie [the founder of the Crips street gang], I had to be on my mark. It gave me an idea we could do anything.

Role: Ray Charles
Year: 2004
What he did to prepare: "This was my toughest transformation. I had to get down to about 158. It was a mind-blowing experience. You go through a dark area for about four to five days, but once your metabolism changes, you can eat a plate of beignets and you won't gain a pound."

Role: Nathaniel Ayers
Year: 2009
What he did to prepare: "I got down to about 173, but it was muscle. The homeless people in Los Angeles are different, they have to stay in shape and a lot of them do via parks, monkey bars. They have to stay strong to protect themselves."

See Also:
Our Exclusive 2006 Interview with Foxx


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