Jamie Foxx is confident that the strength and zeal of Black creatives will outlast the current turmoil they face amid the removal of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
On Wednesday (March 12), Foxx passionately addressed the ongoing push to remove DEI across the board in America while on the purple carpet at the premiere of the Apple TV+ documentary Number One On The Call Sheet.
According to the accomplished multi-hyphenate, the latest attacks on DEI are exactly the reason why projects like the new two-part documentary film highlighting leading Black actors are important. Because they not only tell the story of the Black community, but in doing so, are calling for the preservation of history and representation.
“Look what’s going on out there, man,” Jamie Foxx told Access Hollywood. “They tripping on us right now. They trying to erase stuff. The more history you erase, the more history we write down.”
Foxx stressed the importance of continuing to uplift Black voices and celebrate the contributions of influential Black actors and producers. In doing so, he also pointed to his profound personal experience with mentorship and leadership in the industry.
“You know what’s crazy? I never had a white boss,” he said. “Keenen Ivory Wayans was my boss on In Living Color, then The Jamie Foxx Show, I was a boss. So, we’re trying to plant our flag with this, to say, ‘Hey, man, we’re special, we’re great.’
“You saw it, to see us in such the highest way—I got to thank everybody that said yes because, you know, Hollywood, it’s tough to get a yes out here.”
Foxx went on to praise the groundbreaking work of other influential Black figures in Hollywood, naming several heavyweight names while giving flowers to those who paved the way for future generations.
“I’m a fan of all these people,” he said. “Denzel [Washington] came to my house one day, man, and I said, ‘D, please come, man, and just talk to the young actors and actresses.’ And he did.”
He also expressed deep gratitude toward the individuals who helped make Number One On The Call Sheet a reality, such as producers Datari Turner and Kevin Hart. “It was just a natural progression having Datari Turner, having Kevin Hart—big shout out to them,” he said. “It just feels good.”
When asked whether any particular stories in the documentary moved him, Foxx’s emotions were stirred by the challenges faced by Black women in Hollywood.
“When you dream as a woman, there’s a cap,” he said. “I can only dream. I can’t be the swashbuckler. I can’t be a superhero,” he explained, highlighting the barriers women, especially Black women, have had to overcome.
He also recalled his experience working with Viola Davis on the set of Law Abiding Citizen, where her performance left him in awe.
“She wore me out, which lets you know that they got it,” he said. “They really can go!”
Foxx’s rhetoric follows a number of moves executed by Donald Trump’s administration to gut DEI framework from the American workforce and education system. During his campaign trail last November, Trump proposed a framework of fines for schools and colleges offering curriculum rooted in DEI. In turn, he plans to use the money from the fines for a restitution fund available to compensate civil cases brought by victims of DEI.
Watch Foxx’s full interview in the video above.