The 25-Year Road to “Ray”

Before screenwriter James L. White wrote the film Ray, which stars Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles, he had a long journey. According to an article by Nancy Hendrickson White moved to L.A. in the late ’70s to pursue his writing dreams, but he didn’t get his first writing assignment  until 1995. Ray was produced in 2004 meaning it took at least 25 years for White to see his first screen credit.

“I had no family or friends in the business—no pedigree,  so to speak. I had to knock on doors, take handouts, make friends.”
James L. White
Creative Screenwriting magazine
Volume 11. #6
page 28