Jamie Foxx becomes figurehead of anti-vax movement

Despite the specifics of his recent illness being kept private, Jamie Foxx has become the figurehead for an anti-vax movement after a rumor went viral online.

The actor was suffering from “medical complications,” according to his daughter Corinne Foxx, and the family were spotted visiting him in a Chicago physical rehabilitation facility in May. With just that information and an unsubstantiated rumor started by a notable gossip columnist, some people are saying Foxx suffered a stroke brought on by a blood clot caused by a COVID vaccination.

Foxx’s current condition is unknown, although the actor did thank his fans for their support with an Instagram update on May 3, reportedly three weeks after falling ill. “Appreciate all the love!!! Feeling blessed,” he wrote in a post.

Newsweek has reached out to Jamie Foxx’s representatives via email for further comment. This article will be updated if we receive information back from them.

Podcast host and gossip columnist A.J. Benza claims to know exactly what happened to Foxx, though, as he shared information from his source “somebody in the room” on May 30.

Appearing on the Ask Dr. Drew podcast, Benza said: “Jamie had a blood clot in his brain after he got the shot. He did not want the shot, but the movie he was on, he was pressured to get it. The blood clot in the brain caused him at that point to be partially paralyzed and blind.”

The claim has been fact checked by Newsweek, and was found to be wholly unverified, but the rumor has still gone viral online with a number of reputable Twitter users circulating it.

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys actor Kevin Sorbo shared an article reporting on the “paralyzed and blind” claim and said he’s: “Praying for Jamie Foxx.” He added: “I can’t imagine how many Americans are dealing with similar problems and the [mainstream media] hardly bats an eye.”

Conservative podcast host Charlie Kirk shared the same line that his illness was caused by the vaccine. “Those of us who spoke against the mRNA shot were attacked in every imaginable way. I am infuriated a decent person like Jamie Foxx fell victim to Big Pharma because a movie set is still dumb enough to mandate their cash cow clot shot,” he wrote to his 2.2 million followers.

“Sad as hell what happened to Jamie Foxx…” conservative comedy duo the Hodgetwins wrote. “Hollywood made him get the Covid shot and it gave him a blood clot, leaving him paralyzed and blind,” they wrote in a tweet that has been viewed 3 million times.

While those who oppose COVID vaccinations shared the rumor online, spreading the word further, there were others who called them out for doing so.

“A rumor? That’s it?” Political analyst Jamison Daniel wrote in response to Sorbo’s tweet. “This is why people keep medical records private…creepy former famous people abuse the trust,” they said.

Another Twitter user got thousands of likes and retweets for their rational assessment of the situation. “Jamie Foxx’s daughter said that he is fine,” @MercedezUAZ wrote, “Some strange white man came out of nowhere and said that he’s blind, crippled and crazy because he got vaccinated and ya’ll just running with it.”