MovieAs distinctive and complicated a person as Nathaniel Ayers is, the filmmakers knew that the character would be an extremely demanding one to portray. After all, what actor would be able to travel the distance between Nathaniels undeniable genius and his unalterable moments of mental imbalance? Fortunately, almost as soon as the script was completed, Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx expressed interest in the role. The actor was looking forward to using the same focus and commitment he had shown in his rich portrait of Ray Charles in Ray, and hit the ground running. Although he came to the production with the advantage of being a highly accomplished musician in his own right, he spent six intensive months learning advanced cello and violin techniques. Notes Gary Foster: From the outset, Jamies appetite for this role was voracious and he grabbed it to the point where he moved away from his life during filming. We rented him an apartment to play the cello and think about the next days scenes without interference from his normal existence. He really put himself inside this bubble and I cannot thank him enough for understanding what it was going to take to play this part. Adds Joe Wright: Jamie has a heart the size of America and a very sensitive and gentle one at that. I believe he really loves Nathaniel, which was so important. Foxx immediately had an emotional reaction when he first read the script on a plane to London. I guess altitude makes you even more emotional and I was getting misty on the plane, he says. Its so seldom you find a character captured with so many nuances and have everything work so well together on the page. I thought it was amazing. Its a story about how trying to understand someone elses world can take you a long way in your own, and its really a beautiful love story. Soon after taking on the role, Foxx met the real-life Nathaniel Ayers, which kicked everything into high gear. It was just great to meet him, to get to know him up close and personal, to really be able to see ...