Forget "I Got a Woman." If all the buzz is true, Jamie Foxx might be singing "I Got an Oscar" come awards season.

The comedian and actor already is fielding praise for his performance in this month's "Ray," the biopic based on the life of R&B music icon, Ray Charles.

Foxx, who sat down with The State News for an interview, seems to be remaining humble about the accolades already circulating the movie industry grapevine.

"It brings so much more attention to Ray Charles," he said. "And even if you don't get nominated, you know you're stepping in the right direction."

It seems Fox, 36, has a sixth sense this year when it comes to finding legitimate parts. He kicked off the summer with "Breakin' All the Rules," then hit box office gold as a nerdy cabbie who carted Tom Cruise around town in "Collateral."

Now he's playing one of the most revered musicians of the past century in "Ray," which hits theaters Friday.

"I'm glad that they waited on me to get my life together and get a chance to do this film," Foxx said. "There's a thing called magic that happens every once and awhile - I think magic happened here."

Before landing "Ray's" title role, Foxx had to undergo a scrutinizing audition process that included a piano lesson from the man himself, Ray Charles.

Even though Foxx is a trained pianist - he even went to college on a music scholarship - he said he was intimidated by Charles' iconic report.

"We started playing and I hit a wrong note," Foxx said. "We were playing Thelonious Monk."

During the interview, Foxx then transformed into Charles' high raspy voice and continued: "Charles said, 'Now why the hell would you do that? Why would you do that? The note is right underneath your fingers. It's right there.'"

"He was testing me," Foxx said, back in his own lower-toned demeanor. After a few more tries, Foxx said he got the note.

"I use that for a metaphor through the whole movie," he said. "Life is just the notes underneath our fingers. We've got to figure out which notes there are so we can play our own music."

It was after that exchange, Foxx said, he felt he had Charles' approval to take on the role of the American icon.

Ray Charles had a music career that spanned more than 50 years. He created hits like "What'd I Say," "Hit the Road Jack" and "Georgia on My Mind," despite being blind since the age of 7 and struggling with a 20-year addiction to heroin and marijuana.

With more than 76 best-selling singles and 12 Grammy Awards in his career, "The Genius of Soul" was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in 1986 as a member of the inaugural class.

Charles died of liver failure in June. He was 73. The death came just as "Ray" was wrapping filming. He attended a screening of the movie before he died.

Foxx said it was important to embody Charles, not just impersonate him. Imitation is easy for comedians, Foxx explained during the interview, demonstrating his skills with "impersonations" of Bill Cosby, Mike Tyson and Charles.

Foxx's portrayal of Charles in the film spans more than 30 years, the actor studied tapes of the musician's speaking voice when he was younger in order to study Charles' movements and his changing vocal tone.

The 5-foot-10-inch Foxx also lost more than 30 pounds, dropping from 190 to 157 pounds, to play Charles as a teenager.

For Foxx to capture Charles' blindness, it wasn't just a matter of wearing dark sunglasses or keeping his eyes squeezed shut. The actor wore eye prosthetics that kept his lids glued shut for up to 14 hours per day.

"I hyperventilated for the first month because you feel trapped," Foxx said. "Once I got past the panic, I started to enjoy the darkness of it."

Foxx said his sense of hearing became acute. He could hear things such as a cast member tapping a pencil more than 20 feet away on the busy set.

Apart from becoming Charles, Foxx's career proves he's an expert of transformation.

Born Eric Bishop in Terrell, Texas, the aspiring comedian changed his stage name to the more androgynous "Jamie" after realizing female comics got more mic time at clubs.

Foxx said he first realized his dramatic talent on the comedy club stage.

"When I went on stage, I was acting like a comedian," he said. "I was holding my mic like Eddie Murphy. I was doing some of my expressions like Richard Pryor. It was all practice to get to this point."

By 1991, Foxx had a regular spot on the comedy skit show "In Living Color." When the show ended in 1994, he went on to co-create and star in his own 1996 sitcom, "The Jamie Foxx Show," on the WB network.

The later half of the '90s found Foxx dabbling more in dramatic film roles, including spots in Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday" and Michael Mann's "Ali."

"I got a chance to go straight to the big-time university," Foxx said. "I got a chance to work with people at the top of the food chain - Tom Cruise, Al Pacino, Jimmy Woods."

Up next for Foxx is the military action flick "Stealth" from director Rob Cohen and the drama "Jarhead," another military film based on the 2003 best-selling book of the same title about a soldier's Gulf War experiences.

Foxx said he's also reigniting his music career, which began in 1994 with his album "Peep This" and continued when he wrote and performed three songs for "Any Given Sunday."

Foxx collaborated with rapper Twista and rapper-producer Kanye West for the hit song "Slow Jamz" last year. Next, he'll collaborate again with West for a cover of Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly." Foxx sampled a few lyrics during the interview:

"I'm still in love with your figure. I'm still in love with your smile," Foxx sang. "Girl I'm so proud you're my lady, having my baby and you still driving me crazy."

Foxx said many children today, including his own 10-year-old daughter, don't realize songs by many current pop artists are actually covers of classic soul, disco or R&B hits.

Foxx said younger audiences will find a new appreciation for classic R&B after learning about Charles and seeing the film "Ray."

"They'll be blessed with some hot licks, some hot music," Foxx said. "It will be an education."

Maggie Bernardi is the State News film reporter. Reach her at bernar41@msu.edu.