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The Kingdom: Jamie Foxx interview
Some might say there isn’t anything that the all-singing, all-dancing and all-acting Jamie Foxx can’t do. Having starred in several films including Michael Mann’s Collateral and the Academy Award-winning Ray - and not to mention having made sweet music with Kanye West and several music producers in recent years – Foxx is in a league of his own. Peter Berg’s 2007 film The Kingdom sees Foxx on top form, we caught up with the ultimate showman to talk about his role.... LOVEFiLM: How did you get involved in the project? Jamie Foxx: Well I've worked with Michael Mann on my last 4 projects and it was just a no-brainer to be able to work with him and Peter Berg [director] who I think are very courageous filmmakers right now, who are able to attack a situation or attack a subject that's very touching, but a the same time pull it off in an entertaining way. LF: So is Michael Mann the man? JF: Michael Mann is the man! He personifies good cinema, great cinema, and the thing about it is its not just commercial success, it's critically acclaimed success. When you work with Michael Mann you know that his movie are going to be viewed in a different light, a different scope. So, myself and Peter Berg find it very attractive to be in business with him, and y'know I appreciate it. coming from this world of YouTube and internet where everything seems to be a flash in the pan and fluggy, its great to be attached to someone who people really respect and admire. When you look back at his movies you know they'll stand the test of time. LF: And what was it about your character that attracted you to the film? JF: I like the human side of him. I wanted to play it like this and like this, but Peter Berg was like, no, you gotta play it cool. So the coolest side of him, how he's given the terrible task of telling his son that he's got to work and handle this situation and then talking to the sons of his fallen comrades, that's a tough thing. To be able to have a character that can go from totting a gun and shooting the bad guys, to having the sensibility to be able to talk to those children. LF: Did you do much research into the political situation in Saudi Arabia? JF: Well you know I already know a lot about the Middle East, I knew about how years ago they were looking for water and they found oil- which changed the demographic. It changed the lay of the land, because any time you interject money into anything it changes. I was amazed at going there and seeing it though. You know when you see the images you see the orange and red sun and it was really real you know? It was all of those things, the things that you've already seen and more. But you know they're really attached to western attributes - camera phones! Everyone had camera phones! So you see how the west influences and how they use it in there way but maintaining their own culture. LF: What do you think you've taken away from the film? 
JF: I think what you take away from it is the human side of everyone. When I see Ashraf Barhom and what he did in the role - he is a brilliant actor. He breaks your heart in this film! To see this guy who comes from where he comes from in Israel and to see him jump into the lions den with these great actors like Chris Cooper and these great producers like Michael Mann - it was amazing. And that's beauty, to see someone breakout and really get there stride and see every gangster-loving guy in the movie theatre is crying 'cause he just broke there hearts. LF: You are a man with many talents, not only acting, but singing, stand-up, you have your own radio station and TV show. Do you ever get a chance to breathe? JF: Oh yeah! But I think it's the way we breathe. For one the radio show is such a fun thing. We can talk as much crap on the radio as we want there's no sensors - and that's why we have the radio show because it allows us to develop our own characters, no one is telling us what to do - so you have to have that. So all my friends that are comedians come down and tell their jokes - some of them work, some of them don't. I was once told 'Jamie, if you ever get a chance to get a radio station, do it, because you have a voice and you can talk about anything'. LF: Can you name us your top 5 films? JF: Favourite top 5 films? LF: Why? 
JF: Why? The performances of everyone in that film, that whole epic of Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and James Cann, it's riveting when you see a film like that. Eddie Murphy! [Laughs like Murphy] He made being a comedian sexy, he made it incredible. For me as an urban kid, watching Wesley Snipes and the performance that he put down was amazing. [As Hannibal Lector] "So when you left that little farm Clarice, where did you go? Poor little Clarice, you feel like if you can silence the lambs all your troubles will be over." So, it's just one of the movies that is absolutely incredible�. How many movies is that? LF: That's four�, you need one more... JF: Ah! Good God! How do you pick just 5? S**t� man that's tough�. BRAVEATOR! That's Braveheart and Gladiator at the same time. I believe that those two movies�. Golly�. [long pause] BRAVEATOR X! So� that's Braveheart, Gladiator and Malcolm X�. Helen Cowley Titles related to this articleRelated/similar articles
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