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Sad Details About Jamie Foxx's Life
By BARBARA PAVONE
Being Abandoned As A Child
Jamie Foxx's parents split before his first birthday, so at seven months old, he was taken in by his grandmother, Estelle Marie Talley, whom he dubbed his role model.
Talking about his grandmother during a 2017 episode of "Beat Shazam," Foxx revealed, "She made sure I had every tool that I needed to grow and expand."
Puzzling Family Dynamics
When Oprah Winfrey asked Jamie Foxx in 2005 if he "honestly never missed" his mom and dad, the actor confessed to missing his mother "a little."
As for his father's absence, Foxx said he was left feeling "puzzled" by how his father could not even "drive 28 miles" to see him during his high school years.
A Hope For Reconciliation
Talking about his reconciliation attempts with his father, Foxx told Oprah Winfrey, "He drew a line in the sand: 'I'm a Muslim, and since you're not, I can't be your father.'"
While Foxx told The Sunday Times in 2014 that "the door is open," he admitted that he had lingering questions stemming from his childhood that they'd have to work through.
Connection With Half-Siblings
While Foxx's biological mother didn't come back for her young son, she did go on to have and raise two more children — against whom Foxx holds no grudges.
Once he found fame, Foxx invited half-sister Deidra Dixon, a hairdresser, and half-sister DeOndra Dixon, who was born with Down syndrome, to live with him in his L.A. home.
Keeping His Mother Close
In 2005, Foxx said that he and his mother didn't speak to each other, but in 2020, Foxx revealed on "The Graham Norton Show" that "I would always send her tickets on Christmas."
In 2008, Foxx's mother finally accepted his Christmas invitation, and before they knew it, "It's February and she hadn't left." Foxx's mother has been living with him ever since.