Jamie Foxx’s representative has denied rumors that the actor’s hospitalization was due to complications from the Covid-19 vaccine, which allegedly left him partially paralyzed and blind.
The denial came in response to a conspiracy theory advanced by Hollywood gossip columnist AJ Benza on his Ask Dr Drew podcast, hosted by reality TV personality Dr Drew Pinsky.
On the podcast, Benza alleged that Foxx was forced to take the vaccine while working on a film, and subsequently developed a blood clot in the brain that rendered him partially paralyzed and blind.
Foxx’s representatives called these claims “completely inaccurate” in a statement to NBC News.
Despite the refutation of these claims by Foxx’s representatives, they have continued to circulate among anti-vaccine commentators.
On her YouTube-based podcast, political commentator Candace Owens suggested that there may be “some veracity” to the claims because nobody in Foxx’s family had denied them at the time.
Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, tweeted that he was “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.”
Foxx’s hospitalization in April following a medical complication has generated significant media attention; however, the nature of his illness remains unknown.
At the time, his daughter released a statement via social media confirming that Foxx had experienced a medical complication but was already on his way to recovery thanks to “quick action and great care”.
Foxx was in Georgia filming the forthcoming Netflix film Back in Action when he was taken to a medical facility.
While most reports suggested that the actor was recovering, one source told Radar that his friends and family were “hoping for the best – but preparing for the worst”.
On 3 May, Foxx broke his silence on social media, thanking fans for their support.
His daughter also rebuked rumors that the family was “preparing for the worst” and confirmed that Foxx had been out of the hospital “for weeks”.
In fact, she revealed, he had been playing pickleball the day before she posted her message.
Foxx’s experience is one of many instances in which celebrities’ medical issues have been the subject of rampant speculation.
While some celebrities choose to keep their health issues private, others make public statements or use social media to update fans on their condition.
However, the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories can complicate efforts by celebrities and their representatives to keep the public informed.
