Which actor plays Django Freeman in Django Unchained?

Jamie Foxx plays Django Freeman in Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.

Released in 2012, the revisionist Western follows Django, an enslaved man who is freed and trained by Dr. King Schultz, a German bounty hunter played by Christoph Waltz. Django then sets out to rescue his wife, Broomhilda, from the plantation owner Calvin J. Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Foxx was not the only actor considered for the role. Will Smith and Idris Elba were among the names discussed during development, which explains why they can seem plausible in a quiz. Foxx ultimately became the film’s lead, while Smith later said he declined the part.

Django Unchained draws on spaghetti Western traditions, especially Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 film Django. It was a major commercial success, earning about $449 million worldwide, and won Academy Awards for Christoph Waltz and Tarantino’s original screenplay.