Iron Mike Tyson Eyes Jamie Foxx to Portray Him in Biopic
The legendary boxer wants no less than an Academy Award winner to play him a biopic.
ABC is reporting thatMike Tyson is meeting with Jamie Foxx over the weekend to convince the actor who portrayed Ray Charles to again star in a biographical picture, this time about the controversial boxer.
"Me and Jamie Foxx have been talking and he's willing to take that role and portray me as Mike Tyson, doing my life story," the former heavyweight boxing champion said Friday ''I think he's splendid because he's really up to par. I think he would do a magnificent job."
Ijn 2004, Foxx and director Taylor Hackfored joined forces to produce the critically accalimed Ray, which earned for Foxx an Academy award. He portrayed a blind singer and his struggle with drug addiction. With Mike Tyson's life there is no drama of additcion but there is plenty of meat in the story to rope in audiences. Tyson is one of the most controversial figure of the sport. His colored history from being the youngest heavyweight champion of the world to his incarceration in prison to his infamous ear biting incident with Evander Holyfield will certainly fill a lot of pages of script.
Now 48 years old and long retired from the sport, Tyson is trying to rehabilitate a tough guy image he long sustained during his playing days. He even appeared in the Hangover trilogy as himself in a sort of poke fun at himself role and he is active in his role as promoter with Iron Mike Productions. He has already opened some parts of his life to the public via his 2008 documentary entitled, "tyson" and through an autobiograhy published last November now he wants the whole trifecta with a movie in the works. he even reconciled with long time nemesis Evander Holyfield and is set to introduce him during the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame ceremonies.
Jamie Foxx for his part has long been rumoured to star in the vehicle. As early as 2004, MTV has already published a story about the singer-actor's interest in playing Tyson.Foxx believes there is more to Iron Mike than the issues of rape, bankcruptcy and on and off court shenanigans. He believes the the private life of Mike Tyson can provide the humanity aspect and the juicier parts of the role