Jamie Foxx made his first public appearance, at the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino and AAPI Achievements in Los Angeles on Dec. 4, months after he was hospitalized for an unknown health scare.

Foxx was taken to the hospital on April 11 after suffering a “medical complication,” according to his daughter, Corinne Foxx. Months after his hospitalization, fans wondered what had happened to the “Blame It (on the Alcohol)” singer, but Foxx and those closest to him have remained tight-lipped about his diagnosis.

Over time, Foxx began to make more and more appearances as fans spotted him out in Chicago, where he received medical treatment. He has also made several posts on his social media that raised eyebrows among those who believed someone else was posting on his Instagram page. He was spotted over Labor Day weekend with his apparent girlfriend on vacation in Cabo San Lucas.

The Critics Choice Awards was Foxx’s first celebrity outing at a major event, where Foxx received the Vanguard award for his role in his latest movie “The Burial.” In the film, he plays Florida lawyer Willie Gary, who represents a Mississippi funeral home owner in a lawsuit against the giant multinational that nearly ran him out of business.

Foxx was given the award by his co-star Jurnee Smollett, and during his acceptance speech, the actor got emotional while looking back at his recent past. Foxx opened up saying, “I want to thank everybody. I’ve been through something. I’ve been through some things.”

“It’s crazy, I couldn’t do that six months ago,” Foxx said as his voice became shaky, “I couldn’t actually walk too.” Foxx said it felt different to be onstage now because he cherishes “every single minute,” noting that he wouldn’t wish what he went through on his worst enemy.

Foxx then jokingly said that while he was going through the health scare, he saw the “tunnel,” but he didn’t see a light at the end of it. “It was hot in that tunnel, I didn’t know where I was going,” Foxx said, “’S–t, am I going to the right place?’ I seen the devil goin’ ‘C’mon.’”

Fans also got emotional about the speech. Some people commented, “His message was so heartfelt, and he’s the same ole Jamie with his good jokes.” Others still felt entitled to know what happened to Foxx, as one person said, “Ya ya, reveal what it is already and provide some context. Why so secretive? Either something embarrassing or something that could shift public opinion on a drug.”

Ya ya, reveal what it is already and provide some context. Why so secretive? Either something embarrassing or something that could shift public opinion on a drug.

— 𝕏 Don ⁶𓅓 (@TypeToSnipe) December 5, 2023

Other commenters brought up the conspiracy theory that Foxx was replaced by a clone after his health scare. The “They Cloned Tyrone” actor made fun of those theories during his acceptance speech. The 55-year-old said, “I know a lot of people was saying I was cloned out there…Boy, y’all ain’t s—t.”

Later in his speech, Foxx gave thanks to the people who helped him through the medical scare. He showed appreciation to his family as he said, “My sister and my daughter were so great at not letting anybody know anything that happened, and I can only say that you need somebody like that in your corner.”

Foxx said while he was rehabilitating, watching movies, and listening to music. He encouraged the crowd in attendance not to give up on their art, and to not let people take it away from what you love, because as his grandmother told him, “The devil is busy.”