I’m always shocked when I learn that a very famous celebrity does not go by their real name. For example, when I found out Michael Keaton’s real name is Michael Douglas, Nicolas Cage's is Nicolas Kim Coppola and Martin Sheen's is Ramon Gerard Estevez, among others, my mind was blown. Now, I’m facing this situation again, because I just learned that Jamie Foxx’s real name is not Jamie Foxx, and the story behind why is truly wild.
While promoting his project on Netflix’s 2025 schedule, Back In Action, Foxx and his co-star Cameron Diaz were doing trivia, and the Oscar winner was asked about his real name, which is Eric Bishop. It even seemed like Diaz – who has been friends with Foxx for over two decades – didn’t know his real name, which is kind of wild. So, just like me, she was very entertained by the story behind why he developed a stage name, as Foxx, or should I say, Bishop, explained to Variety:
I was doing stand-up comedy in the '80s. I would go to open mic night. As Eric Bishop, I went up and I got a standing ovation. I went back the next few weeks and they would never put me back on stage, because the comedians ran the list. So, you'd write on the list and they would choose.
These days, Jamie Foxx is known for his performances in films like Django Unchained, Ray and more. However, his career started decades ago with stand-up comedy – which he recently returned to. So, back in the ‘80s, the comedian was making the rounds and playing comedy clubs, trying to make an impact and get his break.
However, he realized they weren’t calling his name to go up and perform. So, he figured out the solution, and that’s ultimately how he came up with “Jamie Foxx:”
So, I said 'Why am I not getting picked?' [They said] 'Bro you were too funny.' And I noticed a 100 guys would show up and maybe five girls would show up. The girls would always get a spot. So, on the list, I wrote down unisex names -- Stacy Green, Tracy Brown, Jamie Foxx. So, I said 'This is a place they haven't seen me,' [they said] 'OK, we're gonna start here, Jamie Foxx is she here?' I was like 'Yeah, I'm right here.'
Talk about clever!
It worked too, Foxx said he went up to the stage and killed it. After that, he started using his stage name full-time:
So, I go up as Jamie Foxx, I get a standing ovation at the thing and that's how Jamie Foxx was born.
Now, I think it makes sense that I’ve never noticed this before. First of all, Jamie Foxx feels like a pretty normal name, so I didn’t think twice about it. Also, the Baby Driver actor’s daughter, Corinne uses the last name Foxx. So, I just assumed it was his legal name. However, it’s not, his name is Eric Bishop.
I must admit though, this only makes Jamie Foxx’s career even better because this clever switch of his name got him noticed, and look at everything he's done since then. Plus, now we all have a new fun fact to share about this great actor.
So, now, if you are looking to see Eric Bishop’s work, give Jamie Foxx a search and make sure to check out both Foxx’s stand-up special and his film Back In Action with a Netflix subscription.
