Jamie Foxx entered the 2005 Oscar ceremony as the favourite to win the lead actor award for his portrayal of Ray Charles in “Ray.” As anticipated, presenter Charlize Theron referred to as his identify.
(Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Rather a lot has modified since February 2005: YouTube hadn’t launched but, Hurricane Katrina would not hit till August, and Disneyland was about to have fun its fiftieth anniversary.
But issues had been taking place on February 27, 2005, on the 77th Academy Awards on the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. It was the primary Oscar ceremony the place a couple of black performer was within the operating for the lead actor trophy. And one in all them took dwelling the golden statue: Jamie Foxx.
You can name him “Ray”
Foxx turned the large favourite of the night time for his portrayal of Ray Charles in “Ray.” Oscar voters love biopics, and Charles (who died a number of months earlier than the movie’s launch) was a beloved musical icon. Foxx was additionally nominated within the supporting actor class for his portrayal of a cab driver in “Collateral,” although he did not win that trophy.
Foxx introduced his daughter Corinne, then 11, to the ceremony as his date. After Charlize Theron learn his identify because the winner, Foxx hugged Corinne and took the stage, conserving the power alive by getting the viewers to do Charles’ signature name and response of “oooh!” and “aaah!”
Foxx thanked director Taylor Hackford for “taking an opportunity on this movie” and went on to thank the primary black actor to win within the class, Sidney Poitier, and Halle Berry, the primary black performer to win an Oscar for lead actress . . He additionally thanked Estelle Marie Talley, his grandmother. “She was my first performing instructor. He advised me, “Stand up straight.” Put your shoulders again. Act like you’ve gotten some sense.”
He additionally gave a nod to Corinne from the stage: “I wish to thank my daughter for telling me proper earlier than I bought up right here, ‘If you do not win, Dad, you are still good.'”
Keep it actual
Most of the opposite nominated actors got here to the ceremony with a number of nominations (and in a single case, a number of wins) already underneath their belts — and, aside from one, they had been all enjoying real-life individuals.
Don Cheadle, the one first-time nominee within the Oscar competitors, was competing for his portrayal of hotelier Paul Rusesabagina in “Hotel Rwanda,” whereas Johnny Depp had acquired his second lead actor nomination, this time for taking part in writer JM Barrie in “Finding Neverland.” Leonardo DiCaprio, identified for his portrayal of Howard Hughes in “The Aviator,” was 11 years away from successful his first Oscar in 2016 (for “The Revenant”), however this was his second nomination and first within the actor class protagonist after a earlier nomination for his supporting position in “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”.
Clint Eastwood, who directed, produced and starred in “Million Dollar Baby,” performed the group’s solely fictional character, Frankie Dunn. He beforehand gained Oscars for finest image and director (each for 1993’s “Unforgiven”), and tonight he earned an analogous double award for “Million Dollar Baby.” But he saved his streak of by no means successful an performing Oscar intact: Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank would win the supporting actor and lead actress trophies, respectively, whereas Eastwood needed to accept being nominated in that class.
