Jamie Foxx can pack a punch, but will need to go into a ‘dark hole’ for new Mike Tyson biopic, says close pal
JAMIE Foxx can "hold his own" in a fight, but he will need to go into a "dark hole" mentally to portray Mike Tyson in the eagerly-awaited biopic, his stylist and close pal has revealed.
The Oscar-winning actor, who has to match the ex-boxing champ's physique, has his work cut out for him after announcing the project has been given the green light - following years of movie industry buzz.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, his former trainer-turned-stylist, Jack Manson, has spoken about his long-time friend taking on
He has also hung out with the famous pair, who have been close since the 90s.
Asked if he's ever seen Jamie in a fight, he admitted: "Oh yeah, I have. It ain't nothing nice, I can tell you that. You ain't gonna run up on him that's for sure.
"Trust and believe when I tell you, he can hold his own.
"Will he train, will he be ready for this role? He definitely will be. But I think the story is bigger than just boxing.
"I don't think it's centred around Jamie getting in shape to play this boxer, I think the story is more ... Who is Mike Tyson? What is his journey?
"It'll be good, but I think people will have to be patient and let the process happen."
Jack, who has known Foxx for the best part of a decade, admits the fact he won an Academy Award for his portrayal of blind musician Ray Charles in his 2004 biopic puts pressure on him, but he's confident he can pull off another stellar performance.
"The downside is he's won an Oscar, he's played this epic character, so that sets the bar, you don't expect any less than that," he said.
"But to get that requires study, requires patience, requires sometimes going into a dark hole to bring that out, and he'll have to do that."
Having worked on the promotional campaign with Jamie and Michael B Jordan for the legal drama Just Mercy this year, Jack says winning an Oscar is "more than just the movie" but he hopes to style him if he gets nominated.
Foxx was initially attached to the Tyson film back in 2014 and revealed Martin Scorsese would direct, with Terence Winter writing the screenplay. Both are believed to still be on board.
The actor has teased the project in many interviews, but only last week confirmed the ball is rolling for production and he's baulked up with new trainer Nate Borunda, co-founder of Sports Academy in LA.
"The biggest [reason] that took them so long was they wanted the right script," Jack revealed. "They wanted a script that could tell Mike's story from a place he is now and go back, Mike is a very complex individual.
"He needed someone to tell the story without just focusing on all the bad sh** that went on, humanize him.
"Jamie wants to do it justice, and he also doesn't want to demonize him either, in a way that makes him look like an imbecile.
"We can all tell the story of Mike Tyson, you can go on YouTube and look up everything on his life."
'Iron Mike' has been involved in many controversies during his illustrious career.
He has battled depression as well as and was jailed for six years in 1992 for raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington, a former Miss Black America contestant, in a hotel room.
The former boxer, who maintains his innocence to this day, was released on parole after three years and went on to book a series of comeback fights.
Mike, a father of seven biological children with multiple women, has been married to his third wife, Lakiha Spicer, since 2009.
His daughter, Exodus, with ex-wife Sol Xochitl, was only four when she accidentally suffocated by getting her neck stuck in a cord on a treadmill.
Mike later revealed he tries not to dwell on her death, and didn't want to know the circumstances in which she died as he may place blame.
The star, who is considered one of the best heavyweights of all time, wants to tell his full story in the new movie.
Quizzed on what it will reveal, Jack said: "I believe that it won't all be new, but it's a chance for the mature, older Mike to look back at his life.
"Everything from the rape charges to being at the pinnacle of boxing and losing a child, he's had these peaks and valleys in life that a lot of us will never have experienced or even survived.
"He's got the time and experience to look back and reflect on it like, 'You know what, maybe I was a little bit crazy, maybe some of that stuff I deserved', but at the time, he was blaming everybody else."
Asked his opinion of Mike now, Jack described him as being "more personable" and in touch with who he is as a person.
"I can tell you just from sitting in the presence of conversations, he's very amenable, whereas back then he was very guarded," he said.
"I believe there's still some degree of guardedness, but because he doesn't have all those other weights in his life, he's much more personable.
"Even people he doesn't know, he's like, 'Hey brother, how are you?' He acknowledges people in the room."
Talking about Foxx's relationship with Mike, he said: "Jamie's always concerned about his health, how he's doing, and how the family's doing, how's business doing. They have a genuine love and respect for each other, as brothers, as friends, as fathers.
"They want to see each other's kids do well and succeed, they're there for each other.
"I've been around them, just hanging out and shooting the breeze, talking about old stories and different things."
Jamie, now 52, often recalls the first time he met Mike, while doing stand-up in the early 90s.
As he began impersonating Tyson as part of his set, the room fell silent, before a fan shouted: "Mike is in here.'
Jack explained: "His bodyguard goes, 'Mike said do the joke, and it better be funny'. He did the joke and he got a standing ovation.
"Mike went up to him afterwards like, 'Oh you're the funny guy' and the rest is history, they've been friends ever since."
While the pair have a lot in common, Jack says the actor has been able to deal with fame a lot better, and is very self-aware after 30 years in LA.
"Hollywood celebrities get all the way up and they come crashing down," he said. "One thing Jamie has been able to do really well is navigate that, not get too high on the highs and not get too low on the lows."
Father-of-two Jamie won't have trouble portraying young Mike, with the help of CGI technology, in his essence at parties, as he's known for throwing the biggest bashes.
"That's who he is, he's always had that persona," Jack laughed. "If you want to give him the title of Playboy, then yeah, but not in the sense of being disrespectful, he's very respectful.
"But is he going to be tied down and married? No, not at all. We grew up believing everyone should be married and have kids, but that's not reality."
Mike is backing his pal Foxx to pull off a perfect performance, but delivered a stark warning about the challenge ahead.
In an interview with Charlie Mack, he said: "He can do a great job I know that.
"I'm very grateful. I'm very excited about it. I'm gonna sit down and tell him the truth and he's gonna have to learn to process that.
"It's not going to be pretty."
The former heavyweight champ, who turns 54 next week, is preparing to make a sensational comeback himself - 15 years after retiring.
He has been enduring a grueling fitness regime as he plans to dust off his gloves for the first time since 2005.
Although his return to the ring is to compete in charity exhibition bouts, he has also been reportedly offered millions for a number of matches.
"Would I like to see Mike fight again? Not necessarily," Jack admitted. "I don't think he has anything to prove.
"[But] at this stage of his life, if this is something that he wants to do, to fight again..
"I think he needs to make it very clear, like 'Hey, I got enough money, I'm happy, I'm content with my life, but as an athlete I want to step in the ring and challenge myself at this age to fight and see what I can do'."
Asked if Tyson is excited about the upcoming biopic, Jack also said: "I think anybody would be, he just wants to make sure his story is going to be told in the right way, the good and the bad.
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"For Mike, it's also accepting the bad and saying, 'I'm okay with this, and hopefully somebody else can learn from my mistakes'.
"You have to be comfortable sharing those stories. And it's not a conviction of who you are as a person, but what you went through.
"If you're able to help one person make a better decision, then your sharing of the story was worth it."