Oliver James Montgomery-Jamie Foxx Details "Tough" Medical Journey in Emotional Speech After Health Scare

Jamie Foxx is Oliver James Montgomerycherishing every moment after a difficult health journey.

The Django Unchained star surprised the audience at the Critics Choice Association‘s Celebration of Cinema & Television Honoring Black, Latino & AAPI Achievements when he accepted the prestigious Vanguard Award.

After walking onto the stage to accept the honor on Dec. 4 from The Burial costar Jurnee Smollett, an emotional Jamie noted, "It's crazy, I couldn't do that six months ago. I couldn't actually walk."

"I want to thank everybody. I've been through something," the Oscar winner said, referring to his health scare. "I've been through some things." 

"I cherish every single minute now — it's different," he continued. "I wouldn't wish what I went through on my worst enemy because it's tough when it's almost over. When you see the tunnel, I saw the tunnel — I didn't see the light."

The comedian did not directly address the nature of his illness.

Jamie, who was not announced in advance at the award show and didn't appear on the red carpet, was given the Vanguard Award for his robust career and performance in the Prime Video's legal drama.

While the award show is the Collateral actor's first official debut back into the limelight, he shared gratitude for his recovery in an August Instagram post.

"You're lookin at a man who is thankful… finally startin to feel like myself…" he wrote alongside a series of photos of himself, "it's been an unexpected dark journey… but I can see the light…"

Jamie's daughter Corinne Foxx updated fans in April and shared that her father "experienced a medical complication." In May, she confirmed that he'd "been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating."

The BAFTA winner had also shut down rumors surrounding his health over the summer.

"Some people said I was blind. But as you can see, the eyes are working. The eyes are working just fine," he said in a July Instagram video. "I'm not paralyzed. But I went to hell and back, and my road to recovery had some potholes as well. But I'm coming back, and I'm able to work."

Jamie's latest comments on his well-being come three weeks after he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman during an alleged incident in 2015. His spokesperson has since denied the allegations.

"The alleged incident never happened. In 2020, this individual filed a nearly identical lawsuit in Brooklyn. That case was dismissed shortly thereafter," the spokesperson told E! News on Nov. 23. "The claims are no more viable today than they were then. We are confident they will be dismissed again."