Jamie Foxx Opens Up About Near-Fatal Health Scare in New Netflix Special

Jamie Foxx is finally sharing the details of the life-threatening health scare that left him hospitalized and fighting for his life in 2023. In his new Netflix comedy special, Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…, released on December 10, the Oscar-winning actor and comedian revealed he suffered a brain bleed that led to a stroke, leaving him unable to recall a terrifying 20-day period.

The 56-year-old first made headlines in April 2023 when his daughter Corinne Foxx announced his hospitalization due to a “medical complication.” During the show, Foxx shared the harrowing ordeal that unfolded while he was filming Back in Action with Glenn Close and Cameron Diaz. It all began with a severe headache that prompted him to seek medical attention.

A Harrowing Journey to Recovery

Foxx’s first doctor dismissed him with a cortisone shot and told him he could go home. 

But Dixon was still bothered by Foxx’s “lethargic” state. His sister drove around Atlanta and eventually chanced upon a different medical facility, Piedmont Hospital. Upon examining Foxx, the doctor said that Foxx was experiencing a stroke as a result of an ongoing brain bleed. “If I don’t go into his head right now, we’re going to lose him,” the performer quoted his medical practitioner. 

The Django Unchained star continued narrating, “And (Dixon) fired back and said, ‘You can go in his head, but you’re not going to find anything, because I already talked to God.’”

Foxx was later told that he was taken into the operating room as his sister knelt outside the room and prayed the entire time.

“Your life doesn’t flash before your face,” he said. “It’s kind of oddly peaceful. I say this all the time, I saw the tunnel, I didn’t see the light.”

Just as Dixon predicted, surgeons didn’t find the source of the bleeding. Nevertheless, they pronounced a 100% recovery for Foxx, warning his sister that it wouldn’t be easy. 

The actor said he had no memory of the next 20 days. “I don’t remember 20 days,” he confessed on the comedy show. According to his account, his next memory was when he found himself in a wheelchair as he was about to leave for rehabilitation in Chicago. 

“I was like, what the f—- is this, why am I in a wheelchair? You know, I’m just coming out,” he recalled.

Humor, Gratitude, and Reflection

Throughout the special, Foxx blended humor with heartfelt gratitude. “If I can stay funny, I can stay alive,” he said, crediting his sister and daughters—Corinne and Anelise Bishop—for their unwavering support.

The near-death experience has profoundly impacted Foxx, who described the ordeal as an “unexpected dark journey.” The actor remains focused on gratitude, humor, and rebuilding his health as he prepares for the January 2025 release of Back in Action.