Oh, man, I’m going to swear up a storm in this post.
For those of you who somehow haven’t yet heard of the film The Soloist, here’s a summary yanked from MTV.com:
Academy Award-nominated Atonement director Joe Wright teams with screenwriter Susannah Grant to tell the true life story of Nathaniel Ayers, a former violin prodigy whose bouts with schizophrenia landed him on the streets after two years of schooling at Juilliard. Steve Lopez (Robert Downey, Jr.) is a disenchanted journalist stuck in a dead-end job. His marriage to a fellow journalist having recently come to an end, Steve is wandering through Los Angeles’ Skid Row when he notices a bedraggled figure playing a two-stringed violin. The figure in question is Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a man whose promising career in music was cut short due to a debilitating bout with mental illness. The more Lopez learns about Ayers, the greater is respect grows for the troubled soul. How could a man with such remarkable talent wind up living on the streets, and not be performing on stage with a symphony orchestra? Later, as Lopez embarks on a quixotic quest to help Ayers pull his life together and launch a career in music, he gradually comes to realize that it is not Ayers whose life is being transformed, but his own.
“[...] it is not Ayers whose life is being transformed, but his own.”
HAHA. SERIOUSLY? All right, so I’m nitpicking the summary only here, but come on. What the hell is this bullshit. It might as well say some crap like, “The quirky adventures of a homeless, schizophrenic musician and his helpful journalist pal as they work together to make the magician’s dreams come true. Join them as they travel through the zany inner world of mental illness and take from it lessons of compassion, love, and purple rainbow kitty cereal cloud. Music by Hilary Duff.”
Everyone reading this, go out and pick yourself up a schizophrenic! We’re like puppies! We’ll improve your life!
I’m digressing, though. I’m sure I’m far from done bitching about this film in this blog, but I’ll save that for another time, as my main issue at the moment is with Jamie Foxx.
From MTV News:
Oscar-winning actor, singer, comedian and radio-show host Jamie Foxx found it hard to disconnect from his role as a homeless schizophrenic in the new movie “The Soloist.” The part was so emotionally taxing that Foxx started therapy to help him cope with the role and keep himself separate from the character.
“It was something that I enjoyed, but it shredded me. I went to places that I never thought I would ever go,” he said, according to Bossip. “I just remember being in my bathroom broke down, talking to my manager, like, ‘I don’t know if I’ll be able to finish this.’ ”
For the movie, in which he co-stars with Robert Downey Jr., Foxx found that even when he wasn’t on set, he was still consumed by the role of Nathanial Ayers, a Juilliard-trained musician who suffers from schizophrenia and wound up living on the streets of Los Angeles. “You had to lose your mind every day you’re on set, and sometimes you didn’t have enough time to get your mind back before the weekend.”
Wait, wait. Back the fuck up. Let’s take baby steps through this, shall we?
01. He’s pretending to be a schizophrenic.
This is where the most emphasis needs to be placed, obviously. Especially to Jamie Foxx himself. So allow me to drill this point home:
He’s pretending to be a schizophrenic.
He’s pretending to be a schizophrenic.
He’s pretending to be a schizophrenic.
We’re clear on that now, right? Okay, moving on then.
02. Pretending to be a schizophrenic apparently made him suffer some kind of breakdown and seek therapy.
LOL
I suppose it’s flattering in some roundabout way to find out that what I deal with daily sent some jackass actor off crying and seeking therapy. But, still, LOL. Just. fucking. L-O-L.
Continuing on.
Everyone knows what sadness feels like, so I could KIND OF see this logic working if he were portraying someone with an emotional disorder like depression or maybe even bipolar disorder. Not everyone has those illnesses, but one is able to empathize to an extent with how those really suffering might feel because they deal with pretty universal emotions (for the most part) (p.s. I hope you understand my point. I’m not trying to offend anyone suffering from depression or bipolar disorder!)
There is no way in hell that anyone can imagine what schizophrenia is like and have it be anywhere near what the reality is like. Unless you suffer from it yourself, you have no idea. “Pretending” to be schizophrenic means that you still have a grip entirely on what’s real or not. No matter how much you want to say you got caught up in your stupid fantasy world, it’s a ton of crap. It’s comparable to an actor who portrays someone dying of AIDS making a statement that he totally understands that world after the performance he gave. No, you don’t, you dumbass motherfucker, because YOU’RE NOT REALLY DYING OF AIDS.
Goddamn.
I don’t think I can say any more on this matter tonight that isn’t just a string of obscenities, so I’ll leave you this with this article by avclub.com which nailed a lot of points (with far less swearing). Some of the comments also help restore my faith in humanity, especially the thread started by “wammer”:
I’m tired of actors trying to convince the wider world that their job is so difficult. “Boo hoo, I have to sit in a trailer all day and then pretend that I’m crazy for a few minutes.” The constant need for ego gratification really annoys the crap out of me.
And first reply, from “Werdsmiff”:
I don’t mind that they take their job seriously (when they can walk the walk, of course), but it is a little shabby to compare your experience of acting a role to someone who has to live with real mental health problems.
THANK YOU.
Btw, I totally love Robert Downey Jr., so it sucks that he’s wrapped up in something that I knew from the start would make me spew massive amounts of vitriol. At least he’s not the one spouting off stupid shit [that I know about, anyway]. Don’t fuck me over too, RDJ 
April 23, 2009 at 11:11 pm |
Ugh, I hate Jamie Foxx.
April 24, 2009 at 1:20 am |
hahaha what a douchebag. this is completely ridiculous. so pathetic.
April 24, 2009 at 3:59 am |
Ugh. This whole project stinks of lazy, self-congratulatory all-about-me-ness. Stupid bloody Hollywood.
April 25, 2009 at 12:37 am |
Oh Fuck OFF Foxx!
From the second I saw the ads for this film, i knew it would be a complete Oscar-pandering, contrived wankfest. That crap from Foxx just confirms it all. I can’t fucking stand when actors say shit like that. Maybe they think it gives them some kind of cred or something,”Oh, I was so AFFECTED by it all” etc etc. Actors get to walk away from the “role”, even if it is stressful for a few months. And they’re not doing it for free.
The long-term effects and consequences of (real) mental illness are what really affects peoples’ lives, and I highly doubt that playing a role for a few months is as insightful and influential as these actors want it sound.
I’ll shut up now, but yeah, it ticks me off too.
April 25, 2009 at 5:30 am |
Yepppp. Same here. I hate that it’s another film that will probably serve to further perpetuate the myth that schizophrenia (or mental illness in general, really) only affects geniuses and it’s TOTALLY something to admire.
What further annoys me is that there’s not a large enough voice for schizophrenia, and people don’t get up in arms about comments made about it like they would about comments made about other groups of people. Like, if Obama had somehow related a story about how he had a “schizo” moment or something instead of mentioning the special olympics, I don’t think anyone would have thought twice about it. The disease is already completely misrepresented and constantly confused for DID, and it seems whenever there’s a film made about it, we only see the “super genius” role being filled. What the fuck. And, ugh, how people have been talking about schizophrenia in reference to this film lately has been so insulting. Since so many people apparently assume that everyone affected by schizophrenia (in whatever form) is probably rotting away in a mental hospital, it seems “okay” to talk about us as if we’re not even people, or find it humorous that not much is known about the disease and basically act like it doesn’t matter to learn about it, anyway, since none of us apparently exist in normal society. Son of a bitch.
April 25, 2009 at 4:57 am |
Is it just me or does it seem like Foxx is pretty much just bullshitting the media in order to further secure an Oscar for this movie? Omagaww! He’s such a good actor he went crazy just like Heath Ledger!! *creams collective panties* I don’t know which possibility pisses me off more…
Either way he either thought it was noteworthy or made up as a pity story that he had a moment of doubt while shooting a film and stayed in for a weekend. Wat?
April 25, 2009 at 5:16 am |
I’ve happened to accidentally catch him on a few talk shows the past few nights and holy shit he hasn’t done anything except further infuriate me. I’m going to search for some clips later and further rant on this.
His story reminds me of some crap that J.Lo talked about in the last year or so. It was like “J.LO SECRET BREAKDOWN” and her story was that, while filming “Enough” (that beaten wife film or whatever), she was barely sleeping and ~working tew hard~ and she had a similar “breakdown” in her trailer and was told to go home and get some rest. LOL THAT’S NOT A BREAKDOWN. THAT’S FUCKING CRYING.
Alternatively, I found a quote from Christian Bale the other night where he was talking about the extreme weight he lost for his role in “The Machinist,” and he had nothing but good things to say about it. It was hilarious. And I bet many pro-ana sites have jumped on it, lawl. But he could have easily said he was extremely disturbed by it all and it put him through him hell, but nope! “STARVING YOURSELF IS GREAT
” hahahahaha ftw.
August 31, 2009 at 8:21 am |
Woah, woah, woah. Just wait a second all of you. When talented actors get deep into their roles they often feel depressed because they study the roles, they get right into them and they almost become the character that they are trying to portray. I’m very sure that Jamie Foxx did not say he now knows how it feels to be a Schizophrenic. He just said that the role was extremely emotionally low at times and that he knows how it feels to be in such a state.
Did you watch Talladega Nights and end up being happy? Did you watch Schindler’s List and end up feeling sad? Did you watch Saving Private Ryan and end up feeling like you’ve wasted 2 hours of your life? I know I did. Now imagine trying to be the actors in those films for god’s sakes. Will Ferrel was obviously very happy on the set of Talladega Nights as was the cast. I bet that Liam Neeson was not a happy man after learning about concentration camps and seeing stark naked, anaeorexic people on set and balling his eyes out at the end. If you felt sad watching it then you’d feel even sadder making it. Get over yourselves.
Jamie Foxx is a douche but not because of those comments. The guy is a pretentious twat when he isn’t acting but that is what makes his acting even better. He can go from “Michael Jackson was ours, we shared him with the world!” to portraying Ray Charles so dramatically well.
August 31, 2009 at 11:41 am |
No, I’m not going to “get over” myself. I found the way Jamie Foxx talked about this issue offensive, and I’m not going to bow down to actors for feeling certain ways while ACTING. I realize they can become influenced by their roles, but that is still a far, FAR cry from dealing with an issue in real life. If asked to give sympathy towards an actual Holocaust survivor or an actor who portrayed one in a film, I’m gonna go with the real survivor.
September 1, 2009 at 8:04 am |
What did he actually say? What were Foxx’s exact words? Because I don’t see how he could have said “I know what it is like to be a schizophrenic” or in so many words. I am begginning to think that you are just being what you are, a schizophrenic.
September 1, 2009 at 1:55 pm |
You have absolutely no right to come here and treat me this way. I’m here to educate people on schizophrenic illness, not debate stupid details about actors with a disrespectful moron. I do not appreciate you coming here and slinging insults at me, especially having to do with my illness. I mean, seriously, are you coming to a blog meant to spread information on this illness and DIRECTLY insulting me because I happen to disagree with something that barely matters in the realm of serious issues? Go find a celebrity gossip blog to call home and do not respond to my blog anymore.
September 1, 2009 at 3:56 pm |
Could you be any MORE ignorant?
September 2, 2009 at 6:59 am |
But it’s ok for you to fling insults at Jamie Foxx? I am not trying to insult you, I just said, maybe you are being a schizophrenic because you told me you were one and since you don’t seem to want to tell me his exact words then what am I supposed to think? You are saying that Jamie Foxx is a bad person for saying that he got emotionally deep into this role. He never said he knows exactly how it is to be a schizophrenic. So why don’t you post the interview in which he said these words? Just because actors get paid big money it does not mean that they aren’t aloud to have emotions and have mental breakdowns. For fuck sakes, just because you have a mental illnes doesn’t mean I’m going to be nice to you when you don’t have a valid argument.
September 2, 2009 at 7:04 am |
Schizophrenia: a mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality. Distortions in perception may affect all five senses, including sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch, but most commonly manifest as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction.
Oh, let’s repeat that last part: “thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction”.
But it’s not ok for me to think that you are making Foxx’s words out to be more than they really are?
How’s that for some arrogance Kayleigh?
September 12, 2009 at 11:36 am |
Actually someone, I believe Foxx’s comments were directly quoted in the original article. Did you even read it? And I believe Kayleigh said you were “ignorant” not arrogant. But I might agree with both.
September 14, 2009 at 12:59 am |
Yeah, that’s the whole point you idiot. There is no where in that article that has Foxx saying anything like “I know what it’s like to be Schizophrenic”. Of course I read the fucking thing.
Oh did I get that wrong? Kayleigh called me ignorant not arrogant? No shit, sherlock. I was asking her if that was a good exmaple of arrogance aswell. Duh?
September 14, 2009 at 9:44 am |
Your maturity level is astounding. I’m surprised you can even walk around without collapsing under the weight of your own genius.
September 15, 2009 at 1:43 am |
For fuck’s sakes all I asked was when did Foxx actually say he knows what it’s like to be a fucking Schizophrenic.
VTRachel you can fuck right off I wasn’t even talking to you in the first place. Just someone answer my question and justify this slogging of Foxx or I’ll just go about my day thinking your all Schizophrenics who are making shit out to be more than it ever was.
September 15, 2009 at 9:51 am |
You don’t actually deserve a proper answer, but I’m going to give it to you because of your complete ignorance of schizo-related disorders. I don’t want you seriously walking away from this blog thinking that I’m not capable of having an actual conversation with you, even though you’re being incredibly rude, and insinuating that my opinion isn’t valid because of my mental illness, as well as insulting others who have commented to you.
To clarify, I wrote this post months ago, after reading some articles (mentioned in the post) and happening to see some TV interviews Foxx gave around the same time. They all irritated me, although all I posted here was the text, as I had no real interest in searching youtube forever for the TV interviews.
I found out a bit after I wrote this post about the incident he had with drugs when he was younger, which made some of what he said make more sense, but still didn’t make some of his comments any less irritating. I was originally going to make another post to mention that part, but since I really didn’t care that much, and the subject in general pretty much died after the film came out, I didn’t. I had no idea anyone was going to care so damn much about THIS post.
In closing, my main post was probably somewhat inaccurate in parts, as the media does like to sensationalize these things and write biased articles, but that’s hardly MY fault for believing what I read around numerous places, as well as seeing him basically say the same thing in interviews HIMSELF that I saw with my own eyes. So there is still truth behind my main post, even if maybe it wasn’t as dramatic as it first seemed.