Jamie Foxx stuns Graham Norton Show viewers with 'incredibly powerful' story about father

Actor revealed his father was wrongly imprisoned for seven years

Jamie Foxx stunned TV viewers with a story about his father on The Graham Norton Show.

The Oscar-winning actor, who appeared on the chat show with his Just Mercy co-star Michael B Jordan, told the host how the new film – which tells the real-life story of a man who is wrongly imprisoned for murder – struck a personal chord with him as his father was unjustly jailed for seven years.

“When Michael called me, I was humbled and honoured to be part of the project, but it is personal because they put my father in jail for seven years for having $25 of illegal substances,” he said.

“He was an educator of kids in the inner city and he taught me everything I know. I couldn’t visit him in jail because I saw him as a king, but I wrote to him to say, ‘Things have gotten good for me and when you get out I will save your life,’ and he has been living with me for 20 years now.”

Foxx, 52, added: ”Here’s the good part – when he saw the movie, he said, ‘You tell that Michael B Jordan to keep doing what he is doing because it is so important.’”

He praised Jordan, who produced the film, for helping important stories get told.

“I commend Michael for making this movie. If you look at what he did with Fruitvale Station and then Black Panther to bring the narrative out for black people, I think this film completes his artistic sentence. When people watch this film, they weep and cheer because it moves your soul.”

Viewers were blindsided by Foxx’s story and praised the actor on Twitter.

Just Mercy is in cinemas now – find our review here.