Jamie Foxx says Robert Downey Jr stars in unreleased film more offensive than Tropic Thunder
Jamie Foxx has revealed that fellow Hollywood A-lister, Robert Downey Jr, stars in an unreleased film that's even more offensive than the controversial Tropic Thunder.
Directed by Ben Stiller, the controversial action comedy Tropic Thunder first hit our screens back in 2008.
With a star-studded cast including the likes of Jack Black, Tom Cruise, Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte and many more - the film went on to be one of the most scandalous flicks of the early 2000s.
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While it won an Academy Award and took home a staggering $195.7 million at the box office, many viewers took issue with one of the film's particular characters.
That character was none other than Iron Man himself, Downey Jr, who played the role of Kirk Lazarus in blackface.
Since then, Foxx has revealed that there is another film, also starring Downey Jr, not yet released to the public that is even more offensive than the 2008 movie.
Foxx made the decision to cast Downey Jr in the contentious role in his own directorial work, All-Star Weekend.
Starring Foxx himself, other cast members included Jeremy Piven, Jessica Szohr, Eva Longoria, Ken Jeong, Gerard Butler, and Benicio del Toro.
All-Star Weekend was shot back in 2016 and follow the lives of two basketball fanatic truck drivers Malik (Foxx) and Danny (Piven) and their obsession with the sport.
Speaking to CinemaBlend, Foxx said that his unreleased American sports comedy-drama film, which he directed, will remain shelved due to today's current comedy climate.
He also defended his decision to cast Downey Jr in an offensive role, explaining the actors should be allowed to 'do characters'.
Downey Jr played a Mexican man in the unreleased movie, with Foxx telling CinemaBlend: "It’s been tough with the lay of the land when it comes to comedy.
"We’re trying to break open the sensitive corners where people go back to laughing again… We hope to keep them laughing and run them right into All-Star Weekend because we were definitely going for it."
The actor-come-director has previously defended his choice to cast Downey Jr as a Mexican man in the comedy.
Speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast back in 2017, a year after the film was first shot, he recalled: "I called Robert, I said, ‘I need you to play a Mexican.’
"I said, ‘S**t, you played the Black dude [in Tropic Thunder] and you killed that s**t.’
"We got to be able to do characters," he added.
Leading actor of the unreleased film Jeremy Piven explained that anticipating fans will 'never see' the sports comedy as 'Jamie doesn't want to release it' back in May after appearing on Get Some with Gary Owen.
"It’s one of those things where Foxx is probably the most talented guy I’ve ever been around, known, heard of," he explained.
The Entourage star added: "He’s the funniest guy in the room. He can sing. There’s nothing Foxx can’t do."
Piven noted that Foxx is 'really hard on himself' who wants his projects to be 'perfect'.
Detailing the reason for why the film is yet to be released, he continued: "So he’s been holding onto this thing for five years.”
Topics: Celebrity, TV and Film, Robert Downey Jr, Jamie Foxx
Rhiannon Ingle