Ray

Year:

2004

Duration:

152 min | USA:178 min (extended version)

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

IMDB rate:

7.8

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 52 wins & 42 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 2004-10-29

Filming Locations: Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Earnings

Budget: $40,000,000

Opening Weekend: $20,039,730 (USA) (31 October 2004)

Gross: $75,305,995 (USA) (13 March 2005)

Cast

Actor

Character

Mike Pniewski

Ray

Jamie Foxx

Ray Charles

Kerry Washington

Della Bea Robinson

Regina King

Margie Hendricks

Clifton Powell

Jeff Brown

Harry Lennix

Joe Adams

Bokeem Woodbine

Fathead Newman

Aunjanue Ellis

Mary Ann Fisher

Sharon Warren

Aretha Robinson

C.J. Sanders

Young Ray Robinson

Curtis Armstrong

Ahmet Ertegun

Richard Schiff

Jerry Wexler

Larenz Tate

Quincy Jones

Terrence Howard

Gossie McGee

David Krumholtz

Milt Shaw

Wendell Pierce

Wilbur Brassfield

Chris Thomas King

Lowell Fulson

Thomas Jefferson Byrd

Jimmy

Rick Gomez

Tom Dowd

Denise Dowse

Marlene

Warwick Davis

Oberon

Patrick Bauchau

Dr. Hacker

Robert Wisdom

Jack Lauderdale

Kurt Fuller

Sam Clark

Julian Bond

Himself

Kimberly J. Ardison

Ethel McRae

Renee Wilson

Pat Lyle

Willie Metcalf

Mr. Pitt

Terrone Bell

Young George Robinson

Richard A. Smith

Til

Gary Grubbs

Billy Ray

Carol Sutton

Eula

Bill Breaux

Cop #1

Alex Van

Cop #2

Roland Bob Harris

Jesse Stone

Tom Clark

Alan Freed

Afemo Omilami

Angry Husband

Elizabeth Omilami

Angry Wife

Vernel Bagneris

Dancin' Al

Fahnlohnee R. Harris

Trudy Daniels

Michael Travis Stone

Robert

Eric O'Neal Jr.

Ray Charles Jr. - 5-6 Yrs.

Tequan Richmond

Ray Charles Jr. - 9-10 Yrs.

Matthew Benjamin

Musician in Billy Ray's

John Swasey

Customs Agent #1

James Huston

Customs Agent #2

Marc Lynn

Downbeat Reporter

Kyle Scott Jackson

King Bee

J. Todd Smith

Student Reporter

Rutherford Cravens

White Promoter

Darnell Rhea

Fast Girl

Jedda Jones

Mercedes

Jeff Galpin

Cop #3 (as Jeffrey Galpin)

Michael Arata

Cop #4

Estella Denson

Lady in Rain

Johnny O'Neill

Art Tatum Piano Interpretations

Jamil Sharif

Ray's Band - 1st Trumpet

Edward Anderson

Ray's Band - 2nd Trumpet

Alonzo Bowens

Ray's Band - Alto Saxophone

Clarence Johnson

Ray's Band - Baritone Saxophone

Edwin Livingston

Ray's Band - Bass

Herman LeBeaux

Ray's Band - Drums

Raymond Webber

Lowell Fulson's Band - Drums

Ray Charles

Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

James J. Duhon

Protester

Tobi Gadison

Paul (uncredited)

Larry Gamell Jr.

Bouncer (uncredited)

Justin Groetsch

Fan

Gene Kevin Hames Jr.

Legislator

Trae Ireland

Neighbor

Cliford Johnson

Protestor

Summer LeAnn

Beach Dancer (uncredited)

Benee Leavy

Violinist for 'Georgia On My Mind' (uncredited)

Chris Love

Jazz musician

Murphy Martin

Fan

Darlene Moore

Airline Stewardess

Paula Jai Parker

Ruth Brown

Karen Pritchett

Concert Go'er

Ben Pronsky

Southern Marine

Carlos Rivero

Custom Agent

Sonny Shroyer

Gov. Jimmie Davis (uncredited)

Curt Sobel

Conductor

Thomas Sobel

Sam Clark's Assistant

Travis Willingham

Northern Marine

Don Yesso

State Policeman (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

At his request, the screenplay was translated into Braille for Ray Charles to read.

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When Ray went into the rehab, he meets a doctor whose name tag reads T. Hacker (the director is Taylor Hackford).

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No studio was interested in backing the film. The film was then shot independently and once it was completed, Universal stepped in to distribute it. Part of the reason Universal released it was because one of the executives of the studio used to hitchhike to Hollywood to watch Ray Charles concerts.

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Goofs

When Quincy walks into Ray's bedroom he's carrying his trumpet case and puts in on the floor and walks over to Ray. In the next shot he puts the case on the floor again.

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An airliner is shown landing during one of Ray's early 1960s tours. The plane is clearly a modern twin-engine jet (737, 757, or 767) instead of one of the three or four engine jets in use in the early 1960s.

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At the end of the movie when Ray is being honored by the Georgia legislature in 1979 it shows his wife, Della Bea, standing with him. However, Ray Charles and Della Bea were divorced in 1977.

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Quotes

Milt Shaw: He's filed a lawsuit, Ray, and it's more than a fine. This guy's got juice, he can get you barred from ever playing Georgia again. But he's willing to drop the suit if you make up the gig.

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Jeff Brown: Where you from Ray?

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Fathead Newman: Ray, this fool, Joe Adams, is trying to fine me for being late.

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Faq

Q

How does it end?

A

Ray gets a phone call that Margie died of an overdose. He discovers that Della Bea knows everything about the son he has from Margie.Ray goes into a rehabilitation center, and it is later revealed that ever since then he was clean from drugs.Ray returns in 1979 to Georgia State, from which he was banned from playing for life. They announce "Georgia on My Mind" the state song and apologize for the ban.

Q

How historically accurate is the film?

A

As with all biopics, some differences from the facts appear:- In the film, when Ray's brother George drowns in their mother's wash tub, he stands there and does nothing as George drowns (because Ray thinks George is joking). In his autobiography, Charles remembers trying to pull his brother out of the tub after realizing he was drowning but was unable to save him.- Ray Charles was never banned from playing in Georgia.- At the end of the movie, Charles is still shown to be married to Della Beatrice Howard when he is accepted back into Georgia in 1979, although they divorced in 1977.

Q

How did Ray Charles go blind?

A

Some sources claim it was due to glaucoma, but most suggest that it was due to an infection acquired from soapy water which was left untreated.

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