Why Jamie Foxx Was Terrible to Beyonce in ‘Dreamgirls’

The mid to late 2000s were important and remarkable years for Jamie Foxx. During that time, Foxx found himself coming into his own as a dramatic actor. This saw him earning an Oscar for Ray, and further showing his dramatic chops as an actor in Dreamgirls. But in the latter, Foxx found himself getting too much into character. So much so that he admits he was terrible to his co-star, Beyonce Knowles, in the movie.

Why Jamie Foxx believed he had to be ruthless as his character

In Dreamgirls, Foxx took the role of a villain by playing the ruthless but business-savvy Curtis Taylor. Jr. But the character had such an edge to him that even Dreamgirls director Bill Condon had reservations about him.

“Bill Condon even asked me, do you think Curtis is too mean?” Foxx recalled according to Blackfilm.

But Foxx felt playing the character as a villain was important since Dreamgirls had a cast of megastars. In an interview on Moviefone, Foxx further elaborated to Beyonce herself why his character had to be so villainous.

“I think Curtis had to be unforgiving and relentless in order for your story to make sense,” Foxx told Beyonce. “Here’s the thing, we try as much as we can to separate a persona, our persona, from a movie. But it’s hard. Beyonce is a huge star all over the world. So is Eddie all over the world.”

Foxx felt that playing his character a bit kinder would’ve taken away the illusion of superstars like Beyonce being knocked down.

Why Jamie Foxx was terrible to Beyonce

Jamie Foxx also added that he was terrible to Beyonce during Dreamgirls. Although he was in character, the Miami Vice star found himself going the extra mile when it meant being mean to his co-star.

“I mean there were certain things that I did, even off-camera that was terrible to Beyonce,” Foxx admitted in the same interview with Blackfilm. “When I tell you, I was terrible! But I knew if I came at her tough, that it would create this sort of thing that she would be able to – because it has to be real, and if you don’t feel that it’s real, then you won’t catch it.”

When asked to elaborate, Foxx detailed how he’d go off-script in certain scenes to continue giving the singer a hard time.

“There were some things that I said at the dinner table that they didn’t put on,” Foxx shared. “Like when the camera was just on her, and it was just some things that I did and after it was over I would say, ‘Are you good?’ But she felt it had helped her, so it was…you know what I’m saying, that Curtis guy was something else.”

Jamie Foxx couldn’t stop thinking about Jay-Z when he kissed Beyonce in ‘Dreamgirls’

Jamie Foxx’s and Beyonce’s characters were very intimate during Dreamgirls. Although they were acting, Foxx had a tough time enjoying the scene according to MTV News. But it’s mainly because Beyonce’s current husband, Jay-Z, was in the back of his mind while making out with the mega-star.

MTV News asserted that all Jamie Foxx could hear while kissing Beyonce was, “Jiggg-aaah!”