Jamie Foxx Says Leonardo DiCaprio Stopped Reading ‘Django Unchained’ Due to Script’s Racial Slurs. Then Samuel L Jackson Told Him: ‘Say That S— Motherf—er!’

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In a recent video chat with Vanity Fair, Jamie Foxx reminisced about some of his most memorable acting roles, such as the lead character in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.” One standout moment from this Oscar-winning performance was when co-star Leonardo DiCaprio abruptly ended a script reading because Tarantino frequently used the N-word. In the movie, DiCaprio played the ruthless slave owner Calvin Candie.

Leo struggled with using a particular racial slur, the N-word, as Foxx explained. During rehearsal, Leo expressed discomfort, stating ‘Let’s take a break, everyone. I can’t do this. This isn’t me.’ Samuel L. Jackson responded, ‘Come on, say it, buddy! It’s just another day at work. Ignore them.’

Foxx explained that during the times of slavery, people like us wouldn’t have interacted,” he went on. “I’m not just Jamie Foxx; I’m Django. I made it clear to Leo that he couldn’t authentically portray that character unless he grasped the true essence of slavery. It was challenging, it was painful. The next day, I greeted Leo, but he didn’t respond. He seemed ready. Everyone started preparing themselves for the intense work ahead.

Previously, Jackson openly shared with The New York Times that he, along with Quentin Tarantino, directly advised Leonardo DiCaprio to use the N-word in “Django Unchained,” despite any discomfort it might cause. He further explained: “Whenever someone seeks an instance of excessive usage of the N-word, they point fingers at Quentin – this is unjust. He’s merely narrating a story, and the characters within it speak in such a manner. When Steve McQueen does it, it’s considered art; he’s an artist. In contrast, Quentin is simply a director of popular films.

Jackson has consistently supported Quentin Tarantino’s employment of racial slurs in his screenplays. In the documentary “QT8: The First Eight,” the actor stated that there is no insincerity in what Tarantino writes or how characters in his films speak, behave, or express themselves.

Jackson once remarked to Esquire magazine about Tarantino’s criticism, saying ‘It’s nonsensical.’ He argued that a writer shouldn’t be silenced and barred from writing dialogue for characters of specific ethnicities in the way they actually speak. According to him, if this is done, it results in an untruth; it’s not authentic or truthful.

Foxx has consistently maintained that he never found a problem with Tarantino’s “Django” script. In fact, during an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, he explained, “I got the message. The N-word was used frequently, but I grasped the meaning – that was the era it portrayed.

Watch Foxx’s full interview with Vanity Fair in the video below.

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2025-01-24 03:17