Jamie Foxx has revealed he thought he was being “pranked” when doctors told him he had been in a coma for 20 days following a stroke caused by a brain bleed.
Appearing on The Graham Norton Show this Friday, the 57-year-old actor shared details of the terrifying ordeal that began in April 2023, when he was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Reflecting on the life-threatening experience, the Hollywood star admitted, "I didn't remember anything" from the moment he was taken into A&E to the day he finally regained consciousness nearly three weeks later.
He shared: “I was very unwell but now I am back feeling good. It makes you realise that you need people that care and love you around to get you through it.
“I didn’t remember anything happening so when I came to 20 days later I thought I was being pranked. It was beyond crazy.
“I knew I had to get back and realised the way to do it was by being funny. I told so many jokes people thought I was mad, and then I would act as someone else – for three whole days I was Denzel Washington!”
Foxx has officially returned to Hollywood, reuniting with co-star Cameron Diaz for their upcoming film, Back In Action.
The actor had been on set in Atlanta when he first noticed a "bad headache," prompting him to seek medical attention and receive a cortisone shot. However, his sister, Deidra Dixon, sensed something was seriously wrong and stepped in, ultimately helping to save his life.
His remarks come after he spoke about his near-fatal stroke in his Netflix special, What Had Happened Was, before Christmas.
In the one-off, the 56-year-old actor opened up for the first time about the medical emergency that left him battling for his life last April.
He first joked: “On April 11, I was having a bad headache, and I asked my boy for Aspirin. I realised quickly that when you’re in a medical emergency, your boys don’t know what the f**k to do.
“I don’t remember 20 days,” the Django Unchained star said, having entered the stage declaring: “I’m back!”
At the time, Foxx was rushed to Atlanta’s Piedmont Hospital, just 400 yards from the theatre where he later filmed his Netflix special. There, doctors informed him he was experiencing a brain bleed that had led to a stroke and warned that without immediate surgery, he would not survive.
The actor revealed that the prognosis was shared with his sister, and while doctors predicted he would make a full recovery, they warned it would be the "worst year of his life."
Last month, it was reported that Foxx suffered another health blow.
It was alleged that he was injured after being struck in the mouth with a bottle while out celebrating his 57th birthday.
The Oscar winner got involved in a "physical altercation" and had to get stitches after the incident inside a Chinese restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, Sky reports.
A spokesman for the comedian and actor told the PA news agency: “Jamie Foxx was at his birthday dinner when someone from another table threw a glass that hit him in the mouth.
“He had to get stitches and is recovering. The police were called and the matter is now in law enforcement’s hands.”
No arrests were made.
