Cameron Diaz is recalling the harrowing medical emergency that Jamie Foxx suffered on the set of their Netflix movie Back in Action.
The costars spoke with Extra about their newly released action-comedy in an interview conducted at the movie’s Berlin premiere on Wednesday.
“For every person who knows Jamie, it was terrifying,” said Diaz.
“For everybody who loves Jamie, the world, everybody was concerned,” added the actress, 52. “I can’t even imagine how he feels.”
Foxx, 57, was filming Back in Action alongside Diaz and Glenn Close when he suffered a brain bleed that led to a stroke in April 2023. He chronicles much of the incident in his new Netflix comedy special What Had Happened Was … which premiered last month.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Tristar Media/WireImage
Diaz told Extra she is “so proud of” Foxx, for “how brave he was to do his show, to let us all know.”
“But you know, it’s hard. You walk up to him and he’s like, ‘Everybody cries’!” she continued.
Foxx shared what it’s been like for him: “For a while, everybody was crying. Snoop was crying! I was like, ‘Crips don’t cry, brother — c’mon!’ ” he quipped. “But now, it’s the joyous time and to be over here in Berlin and watch the movie play and people enjoying it.”
-“I mean that’s what it’s about — being able to get back to what you do — and what we did do is really good,” the Academy Award winner added.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
John Wilson/Netflix
Although Foxx’s health crisis was serious, his ability to rely on humor after the incident helped him push ahead, he said.
While filming an episode of The Graham Norton Show that airs in full on Friday, Jan. 17, the actor said he thought he was “being pranked” when he was told 20 days had passed that he couldn’t remember, adding that it felt “beyond crazy.”
“I knew I had to get back, and realized the way to do it was by being funny,” Foxx said. “I told so many jokes people thought I was mad, and then I would act as someone else — for three whole days I was Denzel Washington.”
But in seriousness, “I was very unwell, but now I am back feeling good,” he shared. “It makes you realize that you need people that care and love you around to get you through it.”
Back in Action is now streaming on Netflix.
