Ray (film)

Ray (2004) is an independent American musical biographical film chronicling the storied life and career of legendary blues musician Ray Charles. Written, produced and directed by Taylor Hackford, "Ray" stars Jamie Foxx in the title role, along with Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, Harry Lennix, Terrence Howard, Larenz Tate, Richard Schiff, and Regina King.

Charles himself had planned to attend an opening of the completed film, but died of liver disease in June, several months before its premiere.

Plot
The story of the life and career of the legendary rhythm and blues musician Ray Charles, from his humble beginnings in the South, where he went blind at age seven, to his meteoric rise to stardom during the 1950s and 1960s. The film touches on his brother's drowning death at a young age, and how it haunted him throughout his life, as well as his struggles with drugs, alcohol, racial issues in the civil rights era, and love interests.

Cast

 * Jamie Foxx -as- Ray Charles
 * C. J. Sanders -as- Young Ray Robinson
 * Sharon Warren -as- Ray Charles' mother, Aretha Robinson
 * Kerry Washington -as- Della Bea Robinson
 * Regina King -as- Margie Hendricks
 * Renee Wilson -as- Pat Lyle
 * Larenz Tate -as- Quincy Jones
 * Harry Lennix -as- Joe Adams
 * Clifton Powell -as- Jeff Brown
 * Curtis Armstrong -as- Ahmet Ertegun
 * Richard Schiff -as- Jerry Wexler
 * Kurt Fuller -as- Sam Clark
 * Richard A. Smith -as- Til
 * Patrick Bauchau -as- Dr. Hacker
 * Terrence Dashon Howard -as- Gossie McKee
 * Chris Thomas King -as- Lowell Fulson
 * Wendell Pierce -as- Wilbur Brassfield
 * Tequan Richmond -as- Ray Charles, Jr
 * Bokeem Woodbine -as- David "Fathead" Newman
 * Aunjanue Ellis -as- Mary Ann Fisher
 * Denise Dowse -as- Marlene Andres
 * Warwick Davis -as- Oberon
 * David Krumholtz -as- Milt Shaw
 * Johnny O'Neal -as- Art Tatum
 * Rick Gomez -as- Tom Dowd

Awards
Foxx received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as well as the Golden Globe, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild and Critics' Choice awards, becoming the second actor to win all five major lead actor awards for the same performance, and the only one to win the Golden Globe in the Musical or Comedy (rather than the Drama) category.