Jamie Foxx Reveals Hard Times With Stroke, Recovery In New Netflix Comedy Special

Oscar-winning actor and comedian Jamie Foxx has opened up about his life-threatening health scare last year in his new Netflix stand-up special, *Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was….*

Foxx, 56, revealed he was hospitalized in April 2023 after experiencing a stroke caused by a brain bleed. The incident occurred while filming his movie *Back in Action*. At the time, his daughter, Corinne Foxx, announced he had suffered a “medical complication” but was recovering thanks to “quick action and great care.”

In the special, Foxx described how the ordeal began with a severe headache on April 11. After seeking help from a friend, he said, “I was gone for 20 days” and remembered nothing from that period. When he woke up on May 4, he was in a wheelchair, unable to walk.

“I was fighting for my life, but I’m here in front of you!” Foxx told the audience, crediting his faith, family, and medical team for his recovery. A physical therapist helped him regain mobility, motivating him with references to *The Karate Kid*.

Through it all, Foxx leaned on humor to cope: “If I could stay funny, I could stay alive,” he said.

The special, filmed in Atlanta last October, marks Foxx’s first stand-up release in nearly 20 years and has already earned him a 2025 Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy.

*Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…* is now streaming on Netflix.