Who Played Me in "Ray"? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jamie Foxx

Foxx, born on December 13th, 1967 in Terrell, Texas was cast as Ray Charles. Ray grew up during the Jim Crow era, as an African American, but did not let discrimination against him affect his ability to become famous. He made many songs which were performed throughout the movie and he was seen at local places performing some of his major hits. Ray's life, however, was plagued with drama such as drug addiction.

There were some scenes, later on in the movie, which showed him receiving treatment at a rehab center for his addiction.

In one significant scene, Ray was about to perform a concert before a segregated crowd and he refused to do this. As a result, the state of Georgia banned Ray from ever playing in concert in their state. However, Ray was pleased when the state years later issued him an apology for what they did and made the song, "Georgia on My Mind" its official state song. Foxx starred in the movies, "Collateral", "Any Given Sunday" and "Dreamgirls".

In 2005, he won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for "Ray".

Other Oscar nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role that year were Leonardo DiCaprio for "The Aviator", Johnny Depp for "Finding Neverland", Don Cheadle for "Hotel Rwanda" and Clint Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby".

Answer: Sharon Warren

Warren, a native of Opelika, Alabama played Aretha Robinson. Aretha was Ray and George Robinson's mother and she worked for menial wages in a manual labor job. In her first scene, she was seen getting into a verbal fight with her boss and she told both her sons to get educated so they would not have to work for shrewd women like she did. Aretha was upset when George tripped in a tub one day and Ray did not help him and this led to George drowning. Aretha was seen sobbing over her son's death at his funeral. Aretha informed Ray that he was going blind and he had to learn how to cope with his disability as nobody would feel sorry for him just because of it.

She told Ray that he should not ever let anyone turn him into a cripple. Warren also had a role in the 2006 film, "Glory Road".

Answer: C.J. Sanders

Sanders portrayed a young Ray Charles Robinson in "Ray". As a young boy, Ray had a knack for liking mechanical things and one scene showed where someone taught him how to play the piano. Ray learned in no time how to play and really enjoyed working the piano. Ray became upset when his brother, George, died one day and he was seen grieving the loss of his brother at George's funeral. Ray promised his mother in a later scene that he would honor her wish to not let anyone turn him into a cripple. Young Ray was seen getting used to counting steps which he knew would help him once he became permanently blind. Sanders had guest starring stints on the TV series', "Saved", "Grey's Anatomy" and "Six Feet Under".

Answer: Regina King

King, born in 1971 in Los Angeles, California landed the role of Margie Hendricks. Margie was one of the women who sang back up for Ray while he performed at venues all across the country. In one scene, Ray spoke with his backup singers and asked them if they wanted to go on the road with him, to perform.
So Margie asked him how much he would pay them. Ray stated he was unsure since Ahmet took care of the pay, so Margie inquired whether Ahmet listened to Ray on issues regarding pay. Ray told Margie and the others not to worry about anything, since Ray would take care of her and the other backup singers, but Margie insisted she could take care of herself. When Ray suggested he could pay them twenty dollars a week while they performed with him on the road, Margie stated she would like to see the pay be forty dollars per backup singer. After some quick negotiating, Margie and Ray came to a price of thirty dollars a week for each backup singer. In another scene, Margie expressed discontent at the way Ray performed the song, "Georgia on My Mind".
King had roles in the movies, "Legally Blonde 2", "A Cinderella Story" and "Daddy Day Care".

Answer: Larenz Tate

Tate, born on September 8th, 1975 in Chicago, Illinois was cast as Quincy Jones. In Quincy's first scene, he saw Ray outside a music club and he offered to take him inside to show him around. Ray informed him that he played the piano. This was when the two exchanged names and then went right inside the club.

In one scene, Quincy was at Ray's home while he made some chicken and it was while he ate it that he said it would be even better if he had some sauce for it. In another scene, Ray and Quincy were in a room in Ray's home and Ray asked Quincy if he could close his bag. Quincy told Ray he could do it himself since he had two hands.

In a subsequent scene, Quincy claimed that Ray was a sell-out and that he was like a blind Liberace. Tate starred in the films, "Crash", "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" and "Menace II Society".

Answer: Aunjanue Ellis

Ellis, a native of San Francisco, California portrayed Mary Ann Fisher. Mary Ann was involved in Ray's touring, as she was one of his backup singers, which he named the "Raelettes". During one scene, Ray was with Mary Ann and the other "Raelettes" and he decided to assign them different ranges of singing.

When he told Mary Ann that he wanted her to sing bass, Mary Ann told him that she was a soprano and not a bass. Margie then stepped in and told Mary Ann that she would sing the bass but Mary Ann told her they were talking singing and not hog calling.

When Margie looked at her and asked her who she was calling a hog, Mary Ann simply responded that she called her a hog "if the corn cob fits". Ellis guest starred on the TV shows, "True Blood", "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "The Practice".

Answer: Kerry Washington

Washington played Della Bea Robinson in this movie. Della Bea was Ray Charles' wife and she had a close talk with him in one scene. During this talk, Ray informed her that he heard things like she saw things and then mentioned to Della Bea that he heard a hummingbird outside. Della Bea responded that she could not hear the hummingbird so Ray insisted she listen closely.

When Della Bea closed her eyes and listened, she spoke with glee as she heard the hummingbird. Ray then said to Della Bea that he could hear the hummingbird's heart skip a beat.

In another scene, Della Bea had a serious talk with Ray about his drug problems and informed him that he had to stop it, since he needed to continue his love for music and the drugs impeded that love. Della Bea asked Ray if he really wanted to go to jail over smoking drugs and therefore have his music taken from him.

There was also a pivotal scene where Ray asked Della Bea to promise him that she would not feel sorry for him just due to his blindness.

She told him there was no way she could pity a man who she admired, that man being Ray. Washington had guest starring stints on the TV series, "Psych", "Boston Legal" and "The Guardian".

Answer: Clifton Powell

Powell, born in 1956 in Washington, D.C., landed the role of Jeff Brown. In one scene, Jeff asked Ray where he was from, so Ray answered that he hailed from northern Florida. Jeff then wanted to know if Ray's family was still in northern Florida and Ray said they were not. Jeff then wanted to know from Ray how he managed to get around so well without the use of a cane or a guide dog, since he was a blind man. Ray asked Jeff the same question so Jeff apologized for the intruding. Ray then explained to Jeff that he used his ears like he would his eyes and he stated he wore hard sole shoes just to hear the echo of his footsteps.

He then stated to Jeff that the sound would change once he walked by a doorway. In another scene, Jeff was with Marge and Ray and Marge was drunk so Jeff stepped in to offer Ray a ride home. Powell played guest starring characters on the TV shows, "Cold Case", "Numb3rs" and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation".

Answer: Bokeem Woodbine

Woodbine, born on April 13th, 1973 in New York City was cast as Fathead Newman. Fathead was a friend of Ray's and he spoke to someone in one scene about how Ray was feeling a woman's wrist to see if she was attractive or not. There was another incident where Father Newman told Ray he should not smoke drugs since they would make him null and void, so Ray told him he felt like his life was null and void. During Ray's recording of "Georgia On My Mind", Margie told Fathead that she recalled him saying ABC would not force anything on Ray, so Fathead insisted the song was Ray's idea.

There was another scene where Fathead told Ray that someone named Joe Adams wanted to issue him a monetary fine for being late to a rehearsal. Ray asked Fathead what time he arrived so Fathead responded he arrived just now and the band was still setting up. Woodbine starred in the movies, "Devil", "The Fifth Commandment" and "The Last Sentinel".

Answer: Terrence Howard

Howard, a native of Chicago, Illinois, played Gossie McKee. In one scene, Gossie sat down to dinner with Ray, Marlene and Quincy and they talked about a man named Jack Lauderdale. Mr. Lauderdale founded a record label called Swing Time Records and Ray stated he felt Jack was a hustler, so Gossie said that Jack's Swing Time Records only produced one hit titled, "Open the Door".

However, Ray told Gossie, Marlene and Quincy that Jack offered to pay him a $500 advance on his record, if he went on the road with Lowell Folsum. Ray also told the three that Jack would pay him three times the amount he was being paid at that moment, so Gossie told Ray it was likely Jack would not put him on the road. Gossie also explained that Jack would probably not watch out for Ray while he was on the road with Lowell, much like the way he and others watched for Ray. Ray then asked Gossie on if he personally did watch out for him since Gossie got paid twice what Ray did, so Gossie asked Ray where he heard he was getting paid more than him. Ray refused to answer Gossie and simply said it was true. Howard was seen in the films, "Crash", "Iron Man" and "Awake".

In 2006, Howard received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the film, "Hustle & Flow", but lost to Phillip Seymour Hoffman for "Capote". Other Oscar nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role that year were Heath Ledger for "Brokeback Mountain", David Strathairn for "Good Night, and Good Luck" and Joaquin Phoenix for "Walk the Line".