Let's make this birthday one to remember.

56 years old (Born on December 13, 1967)

Actor, singer, comedian; He is famous from Booty Call.

Is the 5th comedian 2 host the BET awards In Ray (2004/I), he wore prosthetic eyelids which made him virtually blind. His three Golden Globe nominations were announced on his 37th birthday. Second actor to win an Academy Award for "Best Actor" and to have had a #1 billboard single ("Gold digger" by Kanye West). The first to do so was Bing Crosby. In 2006, a region of his Unpredictable Tour ad campaigns were by filmmaker, Shane Stanley.

While performing as a stand-up comedian, changed his last name to Foxx after one of his favorite comics Redd Foxx and changed his first name to Jamie because it could be a girls name as well. In comedy clubs, female comics often perform before the male comics so when a club manager read his name on the list, he would often be moved up on the list of performers.

Was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" by People Magazine in 2005

Had the role of Slim in The Wood (1999), but had to drop out when he got the role of Willie Beamen in Any Given Sunday (1999).

As a second grader, he was so talented in telling jokes that his teacher used him as a reward. If the class behaved, Foxx would tell them jokes.

Was a football quarterback in high school.

To play Ray Charles from the years 1949 to 1979 for the movie Ray (2004/I), he dropped more than 30 pounds, going from 189 to 157.

Named one of People Magazine`s "Hottest Bachelors" in 2006.

His 10-year-old daughter accompanied him to the Oscars in 2005.

2/04: Pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace involving charges of battery against a New Orleans policeman in a casino last April. He received two years probation and a $1500 fine.

1/8/00: First man of the millennium to host "Saturday Night Live" (1975).

He often impersonated Ray Charles when he was a cast member on "In Living Color" (1990), satirizing Charles' 1992 Diet Pepsi advertisements.

Attended United States International University (now known as Alliant International University) from 1986 to 1988 on a music scholarship.

He started as a stand up comedian.

Cousin Michael Bishop starred at quarterback for Kansas State University in the mid-1990s and currently plays for the Arena Football League's Grand Rapids Rampage.

First African-American to be nominated for two Oscars in the same year.

Auditioned for the Cuba Gooding Jr. role in Jerry Maguire (1996).

Is a Miami Heat fan.

His piano lessons started at the age of three at his grandmother`s insistence.

On January 25th, 2005, he became one of the elite eleven thespians to have been nominated for both a Supporting and Lead Acting Academy Award in the same year for their achievements in two different movies. The other nine are Fay Bainter, Teresa Wright, Cate Blanchett, Barry Fitzgerald (he has been nominated in both categories for the same role in the same movie), Jessica Lange, Sigourney Weaver, Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, Holly Hunter and Julianne Moore.

His top five favorite songs are "Do Me, Baby" by Prince, "Sexual Healing" by Marvin Gaye, "Always and Forever" by Heatwave, "It`s All About the Benjamins" by `Sean `P. Diddy` Combs` and "Lady" by Lionel Richie.

Is only the second male in history to receive two acting Oscar nominations in the same year for two different movies. The first male to do so was Al Pacino.

Idolizes R. Kelly and attributes his musical stylings, as well as personal style, to his influence.

Ray (2004/I), which he played the titled role in, is ranked #99 on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring Movies of All Time (2006).

During 2005 he was nominated nine times for both Best Actor in Ray (2004/I) and Best Supporting Actor in Collateral (2004). Eight out of those nine times he won Best Actor for "Ray" and lost for Best Supporting Actor for "Collateral".

Invited to join AMPAS in 2005.

Only one of a few actors to win the quadruple award crown during motion picture award season. Foxx won a Golden Globe, the SAG Award, the BAFTA Award and topped it off with the Oscar.

Attended Juilliard where he studied classical piano.

Is one of only five performers to have both a Billboard #1 single and an Oscar for acting. The others are Barbra Streisand, Cher, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

His Oscar win for Ray (2004/I) along with Morgan Freeman's win for Million Dollar Baby (2004), was the second time two African-Americans won Oscars in the same year. The first was in 2002 when Denzel Washington won Best Actor for Training Day (2001) and Halle Berry won Best Actress for Monster's Ball (2001).

When he sings "What I'd Say" for Ray (2004/I), he recites almost the same backup refrain in Kanye West's "Gold Digger".

As of January 25th, 2005, he became the sixth actor nominated for playing a pianist. The first to be nominated (and win) was F. Murray Abraham, who beat out co-star Tom Hulce for the Best Actor Oscar in Amadeus (1984). The second to be nominated was Holly Hunter, who won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as a mute pianist in The Piano (1993). Geoffrey Rush won the Best Actor Oscar for his work in Shine (1996). In 2002, Adrien Brody won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Pianist (2002). Foxx was nominated, and won, for his performance as the legendary musician Ray Charles in the hit biopic Ray (2004/I).

Is the 4th def comedy jam alumni to host the bet awards others include, Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer,and D.L Hughley

Went to the United States International University in San Diego after graduation on a music scholarship.

Is the second In Living Color cast member to host the BET awards. He also did his old sketch Wanda at the Bet awards with Martin Lawrence Shenaynay

Was a football quarterback in high school

He and Holly Hunter have both won Oscars for playing pianists - and for playing the piano themselves in their respective roles. In 1993, the same year that Hunter won Best Actress, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Firm (1993) in which she appeared opposite Tom Cruise. In 2004 Foxx was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Collateral (2004), also opposite Cruise.

He said that Richard Pryor is his idol in comedy, Denzel Washington is his idol in acting, and that Steven Harden is his idol in music.

Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2006 Razzie Award nominating ballot. He was suggested in the Worst Actor category for his performance in the film Stealth (2005), however, he failed to receive a nomination.

Huge fan of Professional Wrestling.

His performance as Ray Charles in Ray (2004/I) is ranked #31 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006).

Won 22 awards for his performance as Ray Charles in Ray (2004/I).

Started out as a stand-up comedian, often doing imitations of former president Ronald Reagan.

Is the first person to have been nominated for three acting awards at the Golden Globes in the same year.

At the 2005 Grammy Awards, he performed "Georgia on my Mind" with Alicia Keys as a tribute to Ray Charles, whom he portrayed in Ray (2004/I) the previous year and became good friends with him before he passed away.

Good friends with his Any Given Sunday Co-Star and current WWE Superstar Marty Wright.

His "SSG Sykes" character in Jarhead (2005) ironically took place the same time (during the Gulf War of 1990) as his "In Living Color" (1990) stint.