( APPLAUSE )
WE'RE BACK WITH JAMIE FOXX.
NOW, I KNOW THAT YOU-- I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE SAID--
YOU WON AN OSCAR FOR PLAYING RAY.
YOU PLAYED SOME AMAZING PARTS BEFORE, AND DEEP AND SUBSTANTIVE
PART.
YOU SAID THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART TO YOU THAT YOU
EVER PLAYED.
WHY IS THAT?
>> THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVIE I HAVE EVER DONE BECAUSE
WALTER McMILLIAN IS A STONE'S THROW AWAY FROM-- FROM ME OR ANY
BLACK MAN.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS MY FATHER ACTUALLY WENT TO JAIL FOR
$25 WORTH OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCE FOR SEVEN YEARS.
A MAN WHO EDUCATED IN THE 'HOOD FOR 25 YEARS.
THE VERY JUDGE THAT HE WOULD HAVE COME MENT ORT KIDS PRESIDED
ON HIS CASE.
THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THAT MAN TAUGHT ME HOW TO PLAY
TENNIS, TAUGHT ME HOW TO SWIM.
I SAID, "WHY AM I LEARNING?" HE SAID, "I WANT YOU TO KNOW
WHAT WHITE PEOPLE, ALL PEOPLE DO."
THEY TOOK THAT MAN FROM ME.
I DON'T LIKE THE PERCEPTION OF A BLACK MAN GOING TO JAIL.
I NEVER GO VISIT SOMEBODY IN JAIL.
I WROTE MY DAD A LETTER, "I'LL FIGHT FOR YOU.
WHEN YOU COME OUT, YOU COME LIVE WITH ME SO I CAN PROTECT YOU."
SO WHEN HE DID GET OUT, I-- SINCE HE LOVED TENNIS, I TOLD
HIM "I MADE IT.
YOUR SON DID GOOD."
AND I TOOK HIM TO THE U.S. OPEN AND WE SAT THERE AND WATCHED
VENUS PLAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, TEARS DOWN OUR FACES.
BUT THAT CHUNK OF LIFE DISRUPTED EVERYTHING.
SO WHEN I SEE WHAT WALTER McMILLIAN WENT THROUGH, IT'S
NOT THE SAME DIEJ, BUT IT IS-- IT'S SO CLOSE BECAUSE OF OUR--
THE PERCEPTION OF US.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I SAID THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVIE.
AND WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT IT, IS I LOOK INTO THE AUDIENCE IT'S
A, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER.
WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT THIS FILM WHAT, MICHAEL B. JORDAN DID AND
OUR GREAT DIRECTOR CAN IS THAT IT'S A HUMAN STORY.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS IF YOU'RE NOT BLACK, THAT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T ENJOY WHAT THIS IS.
BECAUSE THEY TESTED THIS MOVIE IN FRONT OF AN ALL-BLACK
AUDIENCE.
THEY TESTED AT A 97.
I SAID, WOW.
WE HOPED THAT THAT WOULD BE.
WE SORT OF EXPECTED THAT.
BUT THEN THEY TESTED IN FRONT OF AN ALL-WHITE AUDIENCE IN KANSAS
CITY.
IT TESTED AT A 98.
THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF BECAUSE
BRYAN STEVENSON IS STILL COULD GO THIS WORK.
HE IS STILL OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, WORKING FOR PEOPLE-- BROWN,
BLACK, WHITE, WHOEVER THEY WERE-- WHO HAVE BEEN
DISENFRANCHISE OR FRAMED AND IN THESE HORRIBLE SITUATIONS.
SO SOMETIMES IT TAKES THE ART TO OPEN OUR EYES TO WHAT'S GOING
ON.
AND WHEN THIS FILM GOT TO TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL-- BECAUSE
I KEPT TELLING MICHAEL B. HANG IN THERE.
HE WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE.
WHEN HE WALKED OUT HE GOT A STANDING OVATION.
WE GOT AN EIGHT-MINUTE STANDING OVATION AT THE TORONTO FILM
FESTIVAL.
IT BROKE THE RECORD
AND SO-- AND I-- I'LL EVEN-- AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ART BEING
ABLE TO BE-- LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH YOUR PARENT YOU'RE
ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT THINGS THAT MOST POLITICIANS CAN'T EVEN GET
OUT.
SO IT'S-- AM I RIGHT?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
HAS BECOME A VEHICLE TO GET TRUTH OUT.
SO THIS IS THE ULTIMATE TRUTH, AND I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL
GO SEE IT CHRISTMAS DAY IN SELECT THEATERS, AND IN JANUARY,
IT'S EVERYWHERE.
BUT IT IS A BEAUTIFUL, POWERFUL MOVIE.
AND WHEN YOU SEE IT, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO
CHANGE THE NARRATIVES ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: THANK YOU.
"JUST MERCY" IS IN THEATERS ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
GO SEE IT.
JAMIE FOXX, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.