Jamie Foxx shocked the guests at the Critics Choice Association’s event honoring minority artists on Monday evening when he made his first public appearance in the wake of his shocking health scare earlier this year.
The actor was honored with the Vanguard Award — which was not previously announced — at the association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino and AAPI Achievements in Los Angeles.
The event also featured honors for Eva Longoria, Past Lives star Greta Lee, Abbot Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph and May December star Charles Melton, among many others.
Although Foxx, 55, has been spotted several times since his shocking hospitalization while filming Back In Action with Cameron Diaz in April, this marked his first official public appearance.
During his acceptance speech, the Oscar-winning actor was visibly emotional as he shares his thanks for the honor.
Jamie Foxx, 55, made a surprise appearance at the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino and AAPI Achievements on Monday in LA
He was honored with the Vanguard Award — which was not previously announced — after his health scare back in April
Foxx’s award was announced by the actress Jurnee Smollett, who costarred with him in The Burial.
He arrived looking dapper in a classic black tuxedo. He posed afterward with Smollett and his award, but he opted to skip the red carpet earlier in the evening.
Foxx admitted that he could not ‘walk’ six months earlier, via Deadline, though he refrained from revealing too many details about the medical crisis that put him in the hospital.
‘You know, it’s crazy, I couldn’t do that six months ago,’ he said after strutting across the stage to the microphone. ‘I couldn’t actually walk.’
‘I want to thanks everybody. I’ve been through something, I’ve been through some things,’ he said to thunderous applause.
‘I cherish every single minute now — it’s different,’ he continued. ‘I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy because it’s tough when it’s almost over … when you see the tunnel. I saw the tunnel — I didn’t see the light.’
Foxx was given his award at the start of the show, but unlike the rest of the recipients, his honor was not announced ahead of time.
In his 12-minute speech, he also made light of some of the baseless conspiracy theories that spread while he was hospitalized and then out of the public eye for several months.
Foxx was visibly emotional during his 12-minute speech, and he admitted he could not ‘walk’ six months earlier
‘I cherish every single minute now — it’s different,’ he continued. ‘I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy because it’s tough when it’s almost over … when you see the tunnel. I saw the tunnel — I didn’t see the light’
He also joked about conspiracy theories about his absence and said he was ‘not a clone’; seen with Nicco Annan, who helped present his award
Despite mentioning that he couldn’t walk six months ago, he did not say what illness he had been battling; seen with Smollett
‘I’m not a clone, I’m not a clone. I know a lot of people who was saying I was cloned out there,’ he said, via Entertainment Tonight.
‘I have a new respect for life. I have a new respect for my art,’ he added toward the end of his speech.
Foxx also shared his praise and thanks for his family, including his sister and daughter, for how they had helped to care for him while he was recuperating.
It’s unclear if Foxx will be returning to shoot additional scenes for his film Back In Action, which continued film with Diaz and stand-ins filling in for him.