Jamie Foxx Gives Marla Gibbs The Roses While She Can Still Smell Them

A star-studded cast — including Jennifer Hudson,Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx — captivated viewers last week by remaking Norman Lear’s iconic sitcoms The Jeffersons and All in the Family for a live special on ABC.

Foxx reflected on the unique production with a number of tributes he penned on Instagram, but none of them hit quite like the nod he gave to legendary actress Marla Gibbs, who famously played outspoken maid Florence Johnston in The Jeffersons.

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons aired last Wednesday (May 22) on ABC and featured Gibbs reprising her role as Johnston. Foxx, who played George Jefferson in the remake, spoke extremely highly of Gibbs.

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“As I write this caption, tears are welling up in my eyes…thinking about when she walked into that apartment and delivered those iconic lines, it was reminiscent of how she walked into all of our lives over 40 years ago and changed us forever,” he wrote on Instagram. “With her quick wit and sharp tongue, she challenged George and us as a society every day.”

He continued, “She took a character of service and turned it into a character of strength and honor…she made us laugh…she made us cry… with confidence and ease… and she made us rush to that TV with the knobs on it and tune into her soul. And now to be in her presence, I am humbled… don’t know how GOD blessed me so much, but I’ll take it… @marlagibbs4real at 88 years young you still take our breath away.”

View this post on Instagram

Jamie you are so sweet and talented and I am truly moved by your kind words! I love you, my family loves you…and the world Loves you!! I’m a fan of yours too and I too appreciate your contribution as an extraordinary artist and human being. Keep it up honey and let’s work together again soon!! ?❤️ #Repost @iamjamiefoxx ・・・ As I write this caption… tears are welling up in my eyes… thinking about when she walked into that apartment and delivered those iconic lines… it was reminiscent of how she walked into all of our lives over 40 years ago and changed us forever… with her quick wit and sharp tongue… she challenged George and us as A society every day….she took a character of service and turned it into a character of strength and honor…she made us laugh… she made us cry… with confidence and ease… and she made us rush to that TV with the knobs on it and tune in to her soul… And now to be in her presence I am humbled… don’t know how GOD blessed me so much… but I’ll take it… @marlagibbs4real you take our breath away… #florence #thejeffersons #georgejefferson #backonmyfunnyshit

A post shared by Marla Gibbs (@marlagibbs4real) on May 24, 2019 at 10:36am PDT

Gibbs returned the kind words of the Oscar Award-winning actor in her own post.

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“Jamie you are so sweet and talented and I am truly moved by your kind words! I love you, my family loves you…and the world Loves you!! I’m a fan of yours too and I too appreciate your contribution as an extraordinary artist and human being. Keep it up honey and let’s work together again soon,” she wrote.

Foxx summed up his experience working on the Norman Lear special with a video of the cast singing the iconic Jeffersons’ theme song and a lengthy caption.

“The way you feel after an EPIC night with ICONIC people!!” he wrote. “It was transcendent to step on to the original legendary set of ‘All in the Family’ and the ‘The Jeffersons’… it’s nothing short of a miracle wrapped in a blessing.”

View this post on Instagram

The way you feel after an EPIC night with ICONIC people!! It was transcendent to step on to the original legendary set of “All in the Family” and the “The Jeffersons”… it’s nothing short of a miracle wrapped in a blessing. To go from watching these tv shows in my grandmothers house in Terrell, Texas to being on set paying homage to the great Sherman Hemsley…Mr George Jefferson himself. To be in the presence of the great Norman Lear was humbling. At 96 years young he put his hand on my shoulder and gave me his blessing and said make it your own…and if that wasn’t enough sunshine, to then be able to share that iconic stage with Marla Gibbs was tearful, joyous and captivating all in one moment. At 87 years young, walked onto the stage, delivered her legendary lines and took our breath away. And last but never least, the great director James Burrows…like a coach before a big game, calmly looked at all of us and said “go get it baby”…. this only happens once in a lifetime. And to @jimmykimmel words cannot express how thankful I am for you comedic genius in front of and behind the camera, you brought it back courageously!!… @kerrywashington brilliant as always “O Tom “ we share a special something… @iamjhud absolutely heavenly… and thank u to the fans…. “WE MOVIN ON UP!” #BACKONMYFUNNYSHIT

A post shared by Jamie Foxx (@iamjamiefoxx) on May 23, 2019 at 1:37pm PDT

Stream the Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s All in the Family and The Jeffersons special on ABC or Hulu.

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