The 2004 film Ray depicts the start and takeoff of the musical career of loved R&B musician and genius Ray Charles. In director Taylor Hackford’s choice of Jamie Foxx, we see a depiction of the courage and power of Ray, a black, dominant musician who rose to fame in the 1950s.  In an industry defined by borders, Hackford creates a film that quietly portrays the effects of racism at Ray’s time, along with existing racism at the time of the film’s creation.  With carefully chosen actors and scenes, Ray tells the story of fame, creativity, and human triumph in order to illustrate the seen and unseen realities of the world’s obstacles and flaws, both then and now.

With instances of acclaimed black actors not receiving awards and films lacking non-white characters, Hollywood and its audiences are not new to the racism of the entertainment world.  It has been observed since the industry’s start. In Tyson’s African American criticism theory, she discusses double consciousness, which refers to black writers, or musicians, as “having to decide whether to write primarily for a black audience, a white audience, or both.”  Furthermore, Tyson states “this decision involves, in turn, the kind of language the writer [or musicians] uses,” (363). The character Ray is portrayed by black actor Jamie Foxx. Foxx has been cast in movies of all genres, such as drama Django Unchained.  Quentin Tarantino’s film is an important note because he, an Academy Award winning director, creates films that skyrocket to fame. His choice of Foxx for the lead of a slave demonstrates Tarantino and Hollywood’s understanding of Foxx’s portrayal as an actor.  He has the ability to deliver a character loved by audiences, both black and white, while playing a controversial role.  Ray Charles is a man with the power to captivate any group, no matter what race.  Despite his fame and fortune, Ray was still a famous black man at a time before the civil rights movement.  In demonstrating double consciousness, it is essential the film is aware of the audiences being targeted throughout the storyline.  In order to appeal to these different demographics, director Taylor Hackford chooses a “safe” actor, Foxx, to play the lead in order to deliver his realistic messages clearly and effectively.  With his portrayal, audiences have a preconceived respect for Foxx, setting aside the character he is playing and his actions in the film.  Ray Charles rose to fame in a time where schools were still segregated.  When the film was created in 2004, the drastic racial boundaries faced at Charles’ time were no more, besides from the racism still evident today.  Ray is a story about raw talent, overcoming obstacles, and eventual triumph.  It should not matter what race the main character is, but it does.  Using knowledge of double consciousness, Ray lays out a story with a rough beginning and triumphant end, using an actor loved by both black and white.  Paired with a feel good storyline, the film evokes a sense of respect, awe, and appreciation from its viewers.  Both Ray Charles and the film Ray overcame racial barriers in the industry in order to present talent, deliver entertainment, and shine a light on some of the flaws of the world and the people in it. 

African American folk art such as the blues is discussed in Tyson’s theory, and is evident in Ray’s dominance over the music industry.  Tyson cites Baker in that, “The blues are a form of African American cultural self-expression that both influences and is influenced by, that both affects and reflects, all other forms of African American expressive culture,” (388).  The blues are a “matrix” or a “cultural code” (388) to the black community. As a character, Ray is aware of double consciousness, demonstrated in his knowledge of the different types of music, and the different people, or cultures, that play that music.  Musical categories are often marketed by race, but Ray chooses to see though the seemingly defined lines to create music like no other artist, black or white.  After being signed to a major record label, Ray is told he needs his own, original sound, or he will never make money.  Deciding to change up his musical style, Ray begins to blend soul, blues, country, and jazz, and over time includes gospel.  Ray develops a unique genre, without trying to gear his music to a specific audience.  Although the blues are historically dominated by black individuals, Ray is not trying to make music for just the fans of blues, or black people.  Despite his race, Ray reaches a mass audience typically not achieved by black artists at the time. In Foxx’s demonstration of Ray’s lack of care for racial musical stereotypes, we see human triumph over an entire industry and its fans, showcasing Ray’s strength as a character and loved figure.  Ray dominates the music industry and revolutionizes music, creating hit after hit of raw, original creativity along with his own sound, and genre.  Ray Charles has the ability to transcend the racial boundaries of fame and musical genres alike, evident in his portrayal by actor Jamie Foxx. 

With Ray’s growing fame at the end of the second act, the audience sees Hackford’s quick inclusion of a political action by Ray Charles. In 1961 outside a venue in Georgia, Ray took a stand against racism and in support of the civil rights movement.  Told by a fan the venue he was about to play was segregated, Ray backed out of the show, breaching his contract which led to him paying a fine.  With Ray’s fame and power over the music industry at the time, this was a substantial leap for the civil rights movement.  Ray stood up for what was right, even if that meant consequences, such as his permanent ban from performing in Georgia, his home state.  Discussed by Tyson as one of the basic tenets of racism, interest convergence plays a role in the segregation of venues at this time.  Interest convergence is “used to explain that racism is common in our country because it often converges, or overlaps, with the interest-with something needed or desired-of a white individual or group” (371).  Ray was a performer for the masses, not a specific racial group.  Ray choosing to deny a racially segregated audience a show was not a stand typically taken by a black performer at a time of such conflict.  Before this scene, Ray’s fame is growing, as he creates hit after hit and tours the country.  After this scene, at the end of the second act, Ray’s downfall is depicted, specifically when he is busted for drugs in his hotel room.  While the film as a whole tells the story of Ray’s success, drug use and all, Hackford’s placement of this scene illustrates the overarching theme of human triumph in the entertainment industry.  Hackford included this pivotal moment for less than a minute, and he could have excluded it all together.  By including it, he demonstrates that even at the peak of fame and fortune, a star can still be brought down, in this case by racism. Ray’s image, success, and love from the world was not enough to shield him from the realities of the industry and era.

Viewers can easily overlook the scene, which plays on its purpose. In a film about the talent, success, and triumph of a black artist, Ray is an ultimately positive depiction of the life of Ray Charles. In a demonstration of interest convergence, Hackford gives the viewers a quick moment of possibly unwanted reality.  He quickly touches on the severe nature of racism at the time, demonstrated with both a lovable character and actor, full of talent and positivity, in order to illustrate societal negativity for reasons focused solely on race. 

Human triumph, courage, and power is shown throughout Ray.  A black, talented, successful star of the music world is portrayed by a black, loved, acclaimed actor.  Ray Charles’ nationwide image as a positive figure aids in Hackford’s telling and truthful depiction of the reality of Ray as an individual, American society, and the entertainment world as a whole. Foxx’s portrayal is realistic and admirable, shown through general physical similarities and extensive mannerisms.  Hackford uses Foxx’s lovable appeal and similarities to create a film that encapsulates the positivity and amazing life of Ray Charles, while also depicting the realistic, natural human flaws of Ray as a figure, alongside the racism throughout our world.