AceShowbiz - Every now and then, we come across surprising facts about celebrities that leave us astounded. One of those mind-blowing realizations came when it was revealed that Jamie Foxx, the Oscar-winning actor known for his role in "Django Unchained," was not born Jamie Foxx. His real name is Eric Bishop, and the tale of why he adopted a stage name is just as fascinating as his filmography.

Recently, while promoting his upcoming Netflix project "Back In Action," Jamie Foxx, alongside co-star Cameron Diaz, shared an interesting story about how "Jamie Foxx" came to be. Even Diaz, who has been friends with Foxx for over two decades, seemed surprised by the reveal. Foxx explained the origins of his stage name during an interview with Variety.

In the 1980s, Jamie Foxx, then Eric Bishop, frequented stand-up comedy open mic nights. He was well-received; in fact, his performance earned him a standing ovation. However, subsequent attempts to secure a spot on stage were unsuccessful.

Foxx recalls, "I would go to open mic night. As Eric Bishop, I went up and I got a standing ovation. I went back the next few weeks and they would never put me back on stage, because the comedians ran the list. So, you'd write on the list and they would choose."

Foxx quickly understood that competition was fierce among male comedians while female performers had an easier time getting stage time. He devised a clever strategy to increase his chances of getting picked. He decided to use unisex names when signing up, which led to the birth of "Jamie Foxx."

He remembers the pivotal moment, "So, on the list, I wrote down unisex names - Stacy Green, Tracy Brown, Jamie Foxx. So, I said 'This is a place they haven't seen me,' [they said] 'OK, we're gonna start here, Jamie Foxx is she here?' I was like 'Yeah, I'm right here.' "

This clever trick immediately paid off. Foxx was called up, and he nailed his performance, prompting him to permanently switch to his stage name. "So, I go up as Jamie Foxx, I get a standing ovation at the thing and that's how Jamie Foxx was born," he said. The rest, as they say, is history.

It's easy to see why many of us never questioned Foxx's name. It fits him well, and even his daughter Corinne carries his last stage name "Foxx."