Jamie Foxx apologizes to Jewish community after Instagram post

The news website A Wider Frame, which focuses on Jewish issues, described Foxx’s post as a “horrifically antisemitic message to his 16.7 million followers.”

For some, the use of the word “They” in Foxx’s post implied a harmful trope against the Jewish community.

“The myth that Jews collectively murdered Jesus, also referred to as ‘deicide,’ has been used to justify violence against Jews for centuries,” the Anti-Defamation League said as part of a report on antisemitic myths. “Historians as well as Christian leaders have agreed that the claim is baseless.”

In his apology on Instagram, Foxx said: “I now know my choice of words have caused offense and I’m sorry. That was never my intent.” He clarified that he was “betrayed by a fake friend and that’s what I meant with ‘they’ not anything more.”

Foxx’s publicist Allison Garman referred The Washington Post to the actor’s statement Sunday afternoon.

Some social media users said the phrase “They killed Jesus” is a common Black colloquialism used to warn people against trusting too easily.

Wider Frame’s screenshot also showed actor Jennifer Aniston’s account liked the original post before it was deleted. Aniston issued a statement about the post on Instagram stories, which disappear after 24 hours.

“This really makes me sick. I did not ‘like’ this post on purpose or by accident,” Aniston said. “And, more importantly, I want to be clear to my friends and anyone hurt by this showing up on their feeds — I do NOT support any form of antisemitism. And I truly don’t tolerate HATE of any kind. Period.”

Aniston’s representatives did not immediately reply to The Post’s request for clarity about her statement.

Online, people accused the “Friends” star of throwing Foxx under the bus. The actress had turned off her Instagram comments Sunday afternoon.

Foxx was recently hospitalized for a month with an undisclosed illness. Last month, he shared an emotional video commenting on his health and describing the trauma of the illness that took him “to hell and back.”

Foxx ended the video on an upbeat note, saying: “I’m on my way back.”

Adela Suliman contributed to this report.