Mike Tyson has been impressed by Jamie Foxx’s impression of him for an upcoming series.
As one of the all-time great boxers, Mike Tyson is an intimidating character to play. However, it seems that Jamie Foxx is up to the challenge as he prepares to play Tyson in an upcoming series.
The television series, under the name Tyson, is already in development. Originally pitched as a film, the mini-series – executively produced by Martin Scorsese – will follow the life and career of the former boxer. Given the topic, the team behind it and Foxx’s reputation for compelling biopics, many are looking forward to the result.
Interestingly, Jamie Foxx and Tyson are a similar age, with Foxx only being one year younger. With this in mind, it is unclear how much of Tyson’s life the actor will portray. Nonetheless, Tyson has been convinced of the actor’s ability and told TMZ, ‘He’s [Jamie Foxx] gonna do a great job,’ adding that ‘[Foxx’s impression] is great, magnificent’.
Many will remember that Foxx has won an academy-award winning for his portrayal of blues singer Ray Charles. As a result, few will be surprised by the actor’s skills. At the moment it’s unclear how radical the actor’s transformation will be, although there have been reports that he is bulking up for the heavyweight role.
Mike Tyson had a controversial career as a boxer, which featured plenty of drama. The heavyweight champion ran into trouble after biting a chunk of Evander Holyfield’s ear off in their 1997 fight. This led to Tyson losing his boxing licence.
Equally, Tyson has had a dark history out of the ring. He was found guilty of raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington in 1991, which led to him being imprisoned for just under three years. The famous heavyweight also faced bankruptcy in the years following his retirement from boxing.
Clearly, there is drama to be discussed in the upcoming miniseries, and Tyson has previously explained:
I have been looking to tell my story for quite some time.
I look forward to collaborating with Martin, Antoine, Jamie and the entire creative team to bring audiences a series that not only captures my professional and personal journey but also inspires and entertains.
Whether the series will cover the dark past of Tyson or focus on his victories remains to be seen. However, plenty of people are interested in seeing the dramatisation of the controversial boxer’s life.
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Topics: Film and TV, Jamie Foxx, Martin Scorsese, Mike Tyson, Now, TV
