Jamie Foxx will be The Soloist

The last time Jamie Foxx appeared in a drama about a noted musician (Ray Charles), he blagged an Oscar for it. So you can’t blame him for seeking out another troubled tunesmith and a spot of noble, award-hungry work.

He’s just signed up to star in DreamWorks’ new drama The Soloist. It’ll be based on the true story of a musical prodigy named Nathaniel Ayers, who started a high-flying career at the famous Julliard school, but developed schizophrenia and ended up living rough on the dodgy downtown streets of LA, where he plays the violin and cello. And yes, he’s throwing himself into the role – while he knows how to play the piano, he’s learning stringed instruments for the movie.

The man behind the camera will be Joe Wright, who directed Pride And Prejudice and has just completed an adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Atonement. He’ll start helming Susannah Grant’s script in January around LA.

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