It is brilliant to cast Jamie Foxx as the charismatic boxer, Mike Tyson. Foxx is a gifted entertainer with a very wide range. He does it all -- from comedy to acting and music. Mike Tyson, as we all know, is the talented, but troubled athlete with a personal life that sometimes overshadowed his achievements.

Jamie Foxx, 52, was a cast member of "In Living Color" in the early part of his career, from 1991-1994. He portrayed "Ugly Wanda," based on a hysterically funny character developed by the late great Redd Foxx in 1977. Ugly Wanda's "real" name was Wanda Wayne and she was described as "the ugliest woman in the world." 

Although he derived great inspiration from Redd Foxx, Jamie Foxx was not related to the elder Foxx but took his last name as an homage to his idol. Jamie Foxx was born John Elroy Sanford but didn't think his birth name carried enough pizazz. 

The rest, as they say, is history. Foxx went on to star in his own show "The Jamie Foxx Show" that aired from 1996-2001. The show was based on the actor's own life -- Jamie King was an aspiring actor who hit Hollywood with dreams of making it big.

Since then, Foxx has starred in blockbuster hits, most notably Ray on the life of the legendary singer Ray Charles that garnered him an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 2004. Foxx has the gift of completely transforming himself in his work -- not only playing a character but becoming that character.  He injects himself, body and soul, into interpretations. That's why his work is so compelling. 

To get ready to play Tyson, Foxx is training hard. A complete body transformation will make Foxx look more like real-life Tyson. Boxing legend Mike Tyson will turn 54 on June 30. He is 5'10" and 240 pounds. The latest stat I read on Jamie Foxx is that at 5'9" he weighs in at 189 pounds. More than physical likeness, Foxx will have the challenge of conveying Tyson's complex personality, which often ranged from anger to introspection with times of clear depression in interviews.

Tyson is the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history. He was a disadvantaged kid from Brooklyn's streets, but at 20, he knocked out Trevor Berbick to become 1986 Heavyweight Champion of the World, as described in a classic Dick Cavett interview. Later, Tyson would be plagued by scandal after scandal, including a DUI. He was convicted of one count of rape of a young beauty pageant contestant in 1992, for which he served 3 years. 

In a 1988 interview with Barbara Walters, actress Robin Givens called her marriage to Tyson "pure hell" and said he had "an extremely volatile temper." And who can forget the controversial face tattoo Tyson got in 2003? 

Tyson reportedly has won and lost a $300 million dollar fortune. 

Rags-to-riches stories are always fascinating and Foxx will do Finding Mike justice.