Los Angeles, CA – Jamie Foxx’s Netflix movie Project Power, starring Machine Gun Kelly and featuring Alabama-bred Hip Hop MC Chika, was the No. 1 trending title on the streaming platform during its opening weekend Friday (August 18), effectively adding another feather in the cap of the Oscar-winning actor.
In the process of breaking down the ambitious film, Foxx told HipHopDX Editor-In-Chief Trent Clark that even as he continues to display immense versatility throughout his career, he wouldn’t participate in a Verzuz style acting battle head-to-head with Will Smith, because he would much rather see one with Denzel Washington and Al Pacino.
During a music roundtable conference call with Kelly & Chika, the Texas-born actor explained that Training Day centerpiece Washington in a Verzuz battle against Scarface legend Pacino is the matchup of all time because he believes they are the best actors of all time.
“I can tell you this, I know who I would love to see in a Verzuz because we always talk about who’s the greatest actor of all time — and I believe it is Denzel Washington.” Foxx began.
“But, it’s 1A, 2A because it’s Denzel and it’s Al Pacino to me. I’ll tell you why. First of all, Denzel, anything he embodies, you cannot say that that person doesn’t exist somewhere. I was talking to Leonardo DiCaprio, one point, he says, ‘Hey, pal, that Denzel, when he plays those characters, he really scares me. He looks like he could really take your neck out,’ I said, ‘Yeah, he embodies it on every level.’ At the same time, Al Pacino, the reason he’s so important because he has played so many different ethnicities and still been at the top. If you look at it, he played Italian, he played Puerto Rican, he played Jewish, Cuban.”
“So to watch those movies go back and forth, if you watch Training day and then Scarface, to me, that’s the Verzuz that I would like to see. I think I got to get my weight up. Somebody said, ‘You all do versus of music.’ I said, ‘Heck, I ain’t got no… I need some classics.’ I can’t be out there… Come on now, I need some classics, yo.”
At this point, his co-star, Kelly nudged Foxx, challenging that he and the I Am Legend actor could go blow-for-blow using just the biopic performances they have done.
“But Jamie, if you even put, just as far as biopics go, Smith in Ali and you in Ray, just that as a Verzuz — like whoa.” Kelly reasoned with Foxx.
Foxx wasn’t having it though, reminding us all that there are levels to this, considering he played a supporting role in Ali.
“I’ll take the praise, but those are some moments that — to even be with Will when he was doing Ali was just like I did a feature!” he exclaimed.
Foxx will certainly have plenty of upcoming chances to create more classic films, as he mentioned because he just signed a major production deal with Sony, according to Deadline.
The plot for Power Project takes place in the streets of New Orleans, as Foxx and the leading cast go on a dangerous mission to stop the creators of a new narcotic pill that briefly gives users unpredictable superpowers.
Watch the official Netflix trailer below.