Samuel L. Jackson - Biography - IMDb Samuel L. Jackson Biography Showing all 125 items Jump to: Overview (4) | Mini Bio (1) | Spouse (1) | Trade Mark (11) | Trivia (62) | Personal Quotes (42) | Salary (4) Overview (4) 6' 2½" (1.89 m) Mini Bio (1) Samuel L. Jackson is an American producer and highly prolific actor, having appeared in over 100 films, including Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), Unbreakable (2000), Shaft (2000), Formula 51 (2001), Black Snake Moan (2006), Snakes on a Plane (2006), and the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999-2005), as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Samuel Leroy Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., to Elizabeth (Montgomery) and Roy Henry Jackson. He was raised by his mother, a factory worker. Jackson was active in the black student movement.

In the seventies, he joined the Negro Ensemble Company (together with Morgan Freeman ). In the eighties, he became well-known after three movies made by Spike Lee : Do the Right Thing (1989), Mo' Better Blues (1990) and Jungle Fever (1991). He achieved prominence and critical acclaim in the early 1990s with films such as Patriot Games (1992), Amos & Andrew (1993), True Romance (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), and his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino , including Pulp Fiction (1994), Jackie Brown (1997), and later Django Unchained (2012). Going from supporting player to leading man, his performance in Pulp Fiction (1994) gave him an Oscar nomination for his character Jules Winnfield, and he received a Silver Berlin Bear for his part as Ordell Robbi in Jackie Brown (1997).

Jackson usually played bad guys and drug addicts before becoming an action hero, co-starring with Bruce Willis in Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) and Geena Davis in The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996). With Jackson's permission, his likeness was used for the Ultimate version of the Marvel Comics character, Nick Fury. He later did a cameo as the character in a post-credits scene from Iron Man (2008), and went on to sign a nine-film commitment to reprise this role in future films, including major roles in Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and minor roles in Thor (2011) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). He has also portrayed the character in the second and final episodes of the first season of the TV show, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013).

He has provided his voice to several animated films, television series and video games, including the roles of Lucius Best / Frozone in Pixar's film The Incredibles (2004), Mace Windu in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), Afro Samurai in the anime television series Afro Samurai (2007), and Frank Tenpenny in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). ( 14 January 1980 - present) (1 child) Trade Mark (11) Rebellious characters who are disliked or considered strange by others in the story Often plays police officers or government officials. Both prone to intimidation or violence Often plays very wise and intelligent characters with great capacities for violence Frequently plays tough characters who swear a lot Frequent swearing Often sports a moustache or goatee in his films Shaven head Often plays hotheaded characters with a fiery temper Often shouts the word 'motherf*****' at some point in a film. Trivia (62) Daughter - Zoë Jackson (b. 1982). Grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

One of Jackson's jobs as a struggling actor in New York was as a doorman at the popular Manhattan Plaza subsidized apts, home to hundreds of actors and artists, including Giancarlo Esposito , who co-starred with Jackson in Amos & Andrew (1993). Ranked #44 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997] Was an admitted drug user until he completed drug rehab two weeks before playing a drug addict in Jungle Fever (1991). Accomplished at playing brass instruments (french horn, trumpet) in school symphony orchestras from grade 3 to grade 12. Graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1972. Was offered his role in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) after mentioning in an interview on UK television show TFI Friday (1996) that he would really like to work with George Lucas . Daughter Zoë Jackson attends Vassar College.

[January 2002] Briefly suspended in 1969 from Morehouse College after taking hostage several members of the board of trustees, including the father of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King , during a protest of the failure of the university to have black trustees or a black studies program. Worked as a camera stand-in for Bill Cosby during the filming of The Cosby Show (1984). His character from Pulp Fiction (1994), Jules Winnfield, ranked second in the "coolest movie characters of all time", in a poll by the UK's Empire Magazine (the winner was Tyler Durden of Fight Club (1999)). In 2003, he spoke out against rappers turned actors, saying that as a classically trained thespian it was not his job to lend credibility to rappers by appearing in movies with them.

But in reality, he has worked with more rappers than most actors in Hollywood, eleven times as of this writing: Juice (1992) ( Tupac Shakur and Queen Latifah ), Menace II Society (1993) ( MC Eiht ), One Eight Seven (1997) ( Method Man ), Deep Blue Sea (1999) ( LL Cool J ), Shaft (2000) ( Busta Rhymes ), S.W.A.T. (2003) ( Eve and LL Cool J ), xXx: State of the Union (2005) ( Ice Cube and Xzibit ), Black Snake Moan (2006) ( David Banner ) and Home of the Brave (2006) ( 50 Cent ). His characters often feature the color purple: Mitch Hennessy wore a purple-violet gem ring in The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), Mr.

Glass wore purple clothing in Unbreakable (2000); Jackson chose to have Doyle Gipson wear a purple hat in Changing Lanes (2002); Mace Windu, upon request by Jackson to George Lucas , wielded a purple lightsaber in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005); and Lazarus, his character in Black Snake Moan (2006), plays a purple Gibson guitar. The commencement speaker at daughter Zoë Jackson 's graduation from Vassar College (May 2004). Is an avid golfer. Was the first choice for "Fallon" in Judgment Night (1993). He suffered from a stutter while growing up. A speech therapist suggested he audition for a play and it might help his speech. It did and he changed his major. One of the late bloomers of Hollywood, he was already 46 years old when Pulp Fiction (1994) premiered and has acted in an average of 3-4 films a year since.

Says that people who recognize him often mistake him for Laurence Fishburne and vice versa. Hosted the 1998 MTV Movie Awards (1998). Was an usher at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral. His performance as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction (1994) is ranked #41 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Performances of All Time (2006). Made Forbes Celebrity 100 list in 2002 and 2003 with earnings of $34 million and $30 million respectively. Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006. Is a vegetarian. To date (2006), his films have grossed more money at the box office than the work of any other actor in cinematic history. The success of The Incredibles (2004) enabled Jackson to surpass Harrison Ford as the actor whose movies have grossed the most money in the world - in excess of $3 billion. (January 2005).

Though in 2016, Ford re-surpassed him due to the massive success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). Before superstardom, he played a very minor role in Goodfellas (1990), starring Robert De Niro . After superstardom, he co-starred in Jackie Brown (1997), this time with Robert De Niro playing a supporting role. During filming of Black Snake Moan (2006), grew close with co-star Christina Ricci . The two remain good friends to this day. Was member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 1995. His Pulp Fiction (1994) diner scene with John Travolta , was re-enacted by Dark Horse Comics' mid-2000 issue of "Star Wars Tales". In it (with modifications), his Mace Windu character talks about the Jedi Academy and current Senate politics with Master Yoda, during a meal on Coruscant. Gave his consent for Marvel Comics to design their "Ultimate" version of the character Nick Fury after his likeness. He later went on to play Nick Fury in Iron Man (2008).

In real life, he was once a New York high-rise doorman, in 1408 (2007), he was a New York high-rise manager. He participated in Model United Nations during his years in school. Lives in Beverly Hills, California. Has the rare distinction of having played characters that have been eaten by both a shark and a dinosaur. Is an Anglophile, being fond of English culture and England in general. Like Christopher Walken , he makes films for the pleasure he gets out of acting, regardless of how the film turns out. While visiting Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2003, he stayed at the world-famous Copacabana Palace Hotel. Due to his prominent stature within the film industry, he is accorded a clause in all his movie contracts that guarantees him easy access to golf courses, no matter where the location shoot happens to be. Is a fan of the Atlanta Falcons football club. He appears in their "Rise Up" campaign (2010).

The Jury of the Cannes Film Festival were so impressed with his performance as Gator in Jungle Fever (1991), that they decided to recreate the rare Best Supporting Actor category in that year, honoring him with the award. To date (2016), he's one of the few actors to receive the honor along with Jack Thompson for his performance in Breaker Morant (1980) and Ian Holm for his role in Chariots of Fire (1981). Auditioned for a role in Mississippi Burning (1988), but director Alan Parker told him he did not sound Southern, even though he was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Growing up, his idol was Errol Flynn and dreamed about being a movie swashbuckler someday. Son of Elizabeth Jackson . In a 2012 interview with "Nuts" magazine, he cites The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) as a favorite film. The Guinness World Records named Samuel L. Jackson as the highest-grossing film actor of all time, taking in more than $7.4 billion at the box-office. The residuals alone earn him about $300,000 a year.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7020 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on June 16, 2000. He originally intended to become a marine biologist before discovering acting in college. Although he had been acting in small roles and in theatre productions, it was not until he was 40 years old that he received his first major role in Do the Right Thing (1989) and he was 45 when he became a star with Pulp Fiction (1994). He has made four films with Natalie Portman : Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002), Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Thor (2011). Selected What's New Pussycat (1965) for the AFI's book, "Private Screenings", as the movie that influenced him most. Considers himself a close friend and admirer of British actor Michael Caine .

The two have collaborated together on a couple of projects, including A Shock to the System (1990) and Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014). Highest grossing Black actor of all time, with over $4.6 billion brought to the box office. Is great friends with British actor Simon Pegg . Has appeared in a movie with each of the men that played Batman on the big screen. He appeared in Jackie Brown (1997), Out of Sight (1998), The Other Guys (2010), and RoboCop (2014) with Michael Keaton . He was in True Romance (1993) with Val Kilmer . In Shaft (2000), he shared the screen with Christian Bale . He was in Changing Lanes (2002) with Ben Affleck and he even appeared in The New Age (1994) with Adam West . In Coming to America (1988) he portrays a robber knocking off a restaurant (McDowell's) and calls one of the employees ( Louie Anderson ) "fatboy".

In Pulp Fiction (1994) he calls a restaurant employee "fatman" while it's being robbed. Is an avid Liverpool FC supporter and fan after his work in the city on 51st State (Formula 51) and often tweets on twitter when they win a game with simply 'Liverpoooool'. Personal Quotes (42) [When asked about his character in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)] "He's black." [on the subject of his character's inevitable death in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)] "I don't mind dying, I just don't wanna go out like some punk." People mistake me for Laurence Fishburne all the time. And he always gets mistaken for me. (And why not? We've both starred in Spike Lee movies, haven't we?) Even when we're standing together, people have called him by my name and me by his. A woman recently ran up to him and said, 'My daughter loved you in Pulp Fiction (1994)!

Could she have your autograph?' So he signed it, 'Respectfully yours, Samuel Jackson.' To be frank, I am as passionate about golf as I am about acting. I very seldom get angry at golf. The year I started golf I had a caddie and one day I did get angry with myself and threw a club. My caddie told me, 'You're not good enough to get mad'. I have never thrown a club since. I enjoy my golf, it does not matter whether I play great or badly. I let it go. I've played Loch Lomond - that's the one with the bogs isn't it? I played the one with the lighthouse. When we were in Liverpool we used to take the ferry and go to Northern Ireland. Films get in the way of my golf, but they have afforded me the chance to play a lot of golf. On playing Othello - "I didn't realise how much I hated that play until I agreed to do it. I don't mind Shakespeare so much, but I really hate Othello.

Here was a guy who had been all over the world, kicking ass, looting, plundering and probably raping the baddest babes on the planet. Then he falls in love with some teenager and loses his fucking mind. I don't like that idea at all. I mean, how stupid was he?" People shout at me "Hey, loved that The Matrix (1999), man!" Yeah - me too. I was actually on a plane last year and this guy sat down next to me. Finally, he said something to me, and we started talking about Pulp Fiction (1994). He couldn't remember the actor's name, so I tried to help and said "I think it might have been Samuel Jackson." He jumped in "No, no, it's the other guy, that Fishburne guy". We rode the whole flight having that conversation and then, right at the end, he looked hard at me and said, "You sure look familiar, you're sure you're not Laurence Fishburne ?" I said "No, and I definitely am not in Pulp Fiction (1994), either". I think everyone who says they don't like watching themselves in movies should stop lying.

People like the Ezekiel speech. I have to say that speech about three times a week to people, just to prove that I still know it. I was a square for so long and it totally amazes me that people think I am cool. [on how his look was created in Pulp Fiction (1994)] " Quentin Tarantino wanted Jules to have a big afro. He sent this PA out to buy a wig. She went to South Central and bought this jeri-curl wig. And Quentin was going off, saying, 'It's got to be an afro because he had this whole blaxploitation thing'. I told him, 'That's the South Central look.' You look at Ice Cube and NWA. Guys had all this shit dripping down their necks. I had already grown the sideburns out and the mustache. It was perfect. Total Gangster." A movie is just a movie to me. They open, they close. I have a place that's pretty much cemented in Hollywood in terms of liability, box-office viability and everything else. The only thing an Oscar would do is jack my check up maybe $1 million. What kills me is that everybody thinks I like jazz.

I can't say to myself, 'I haven't had a drink in 15 years, I could have a glass of champagne and be OK'. That might be true, but history says when I opened that bottle of champagne, I sat there and drank it until it was gone. People who've been through what I went through are always going to be tempted. I enjoyed drinking and I enjoyed taking drugs. But I have to remind myself every day that I can't have a drink. I feel like I have a kinship to England. I go about three or four times a year because you guys love me. Seriously, that's it right there. I just need to feel that love every once in a while. I like England because I can go anywhere on the tube and buses. So when I'm there I go to all the places where I used to hang out. Hollywood people tend to think that because one is successful in one aspect of entertainment they can bring them into this particular world and make a success out of them. They ask people like me to be in a film with those people that they are kind of headlining and your name ends up behind them.

If you do that, it sanctions the fact that these people come into this world and you think they are worthy of you sharing your time on screen with them. I don't particularly think that. A month or so ago, someone called me about the 50 Cent movie and I'm like, 'What are you calling me for?'. I don't even need to read that because that's not something I want to do. I like listening to 50 Cent and I can groove to his music but I don't want to groove to him on screen, just yet. Maybe if he does five movies and he shows some talent. I mean how does he get to work with Jim Sheridan and I don't. What is it about 50 Cent that makes Jim Sheridan say, 'I'd really like to make a movie with him.'? Definitely. And I always do - I love me on-screen! (On if he watches his own films) When I came to New York, it was bubbling. We watched each other, we encouraged each other, we went to auditions together, we rode trains together, and every Monday we had great parties. But it was also a time of, you know, drugs.

I don't understand how people live without creating. You know? I don't know how you do one picture a year. I was the crackhead in Jungle Fever (1991). I was two weeks out of rehab. I'd been smoking cocaine for a year and a half, two years, and I understood the nature of the disease. I had done the research. So when I started talking to Spike about it, I said, "You don't see him high that much. You always see him when he needs something. He's on a mission to get some shit. That's what I wanna do." And that was my breakthrough. That got me into Hollywood. It was the perfect marriage of experience and opportunity. I was raised to be cautious. I went to work with my grandfather, who cleaned office buildings and furnaces, and there would be twenty-year-old guys callin' him Ed, and he called 'em Mister. My grandfather was this old guy, very dignified, but he never looked 'em in the eye. He'd look at me like, "Turn your head down!

Don't look the white men in the eye 'cause they'll think you being uppity or arrogant." Now the name of my production company is Uppity. I never asked for anything except a purple light saber. George said, "Well, light sabers are either red or green." I said, "Yeah, but I would like a purple one." I've never been to jail. I've never been arrested. I've never been locked up. I'm a good son, a good father, a good husband--I've been married to the same woman for thirty years. I'm a good friend. I finished college, I have my education, I believe in education, I donate money anonymously. So when people criticize the kind of characters that I play onscreen, I go, "You know, that's part of a story.' I went to the movies a lot when I was a kid. That was my joy. Saturday mornings, my mom kicked me out of the house, I went to the movies at nine in the morning and watched cartoons and serials and the double-feature horror picture, and then I would meet her later for the adult stuff. So I love movies that way.

So I'll do a movie like Snakes on a Plane (2006), and I'll do a film that's very serious. And I'll do a comedy, because it's there. I haven't had a drug dream in ten or twelve years. All of a sudden, I had one, like, two weeks ago. Even in the dream, you're hiding shit from people! People that you know pop up in the dream and you got this big-ass ball of cocaine in your hand and you stick it behind your back and go, "Yeah, I'm all right." And then you wake up and you feel as bad as if you'd actually done it. [1992] A few years ago Morgan Freeman 's granddaughter - she's a friend of my daughter - says, "We're going to England. My grandfather's doing Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)". I got on the phone: 'How the hell did Morgan get Robin Hood?' They said the part was written for him. So I said, 'Are there any more black people in it?' I want to do a pirate. I want to swing from ship to ship with a knife in my teeth. I want to kick some butt.

I would love to do that stuff. I don't want to ruin my artistic facade or anything, but I love splatter movies. I love stuff like Scanners (1981). I've always liked to be freaked-out and I love to freak people out. (1992, on early film auditions) I've been told I wasn't African enough. And sometimes you don't get jobs because you're too good-'We wouldn't want to waste your talent on this meager part,' they say, and I'm sitting there thinking, 'I got a daughter who goes to school. She needs to eat, I need to eat.' When I auditioned for Mississippi Burning the director told me I didn't sound Southern. I grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee! And this guy tells me I don't sound Southern! See, he was British. Want to know what the 'L.' in Samuel L. Jackson means? None of your fucking business. I heard that you can do what ever you want in International Waters, that's why I filled my jacuzzi with International Water. I don't understand these actors who talk about how difficult it is to act with nothing there.

I was an only child so most of the time I was always playing against something that didn't exist. It's called using your imagination. (2013, on his father) Once, when we were performing in Topeka, Kansas, my wife, my three-month-old daughter and I went to see my other grandmother, and it just so happened my father was living in her house again. I was in my 30s, and there was this woman and this older lady, and then this teenage girl comes downstairs with a little baby in her arms as young as my daughter. He's like, "Hey, I want you to meet your sister." I think he's talking about the girl, but he's talking about the fucking baby.

I'm like, "You're a grown-ass, old-ass man doing this shit?" Then the older lady's like, "So when's the last time you saw your dad?" And it was like, "I haven't seen this motherfucker since I was three months old." We go outside and he gets angry, going, "Why'd you have to tell her that?" I said, "Do you want me to tell her we hang out, that you've been taking care of me all these years? You're not my father; you're just a guy who happened to be my mom's sperm donor. I'm here to see your mother, not you." He passed not long after that. He was an alcoholic with cirrhosis and all that other shit. They had called me from the hospital: "Mr. Jackson, your father's ­really ill now.

If we have to take drastic measures, do you want us to keep him alive?" I said, "Are you calling to ask if I want you to put him on life support, or are you calling to see if I'm going to be responsible for his medical bill?" They're like, "Well...." I said, "He's got a sister in Kansas City-you should call her." Click. It's done. (2013) I was not the cool guy growing up. I was bookish. I had a stutter. I wasn't in the streets with all the other kids. I didn't dress cool or do cool shit. I played the trumpet, flute and French horn in the marching band and had great style on the field when we performed, but that wasn't the cool thing to do. I was popular because I was funny. I definitely didn't have the hot chicks. (2013, on his signature role) If there were one movie I wanted people to look at, it would be A Time to Kill (1996)... It's an American story and a very Southern story. I'd like people to look at that one and say, "Oh my God." (2013) W.

Kamau Bell 's FX show [ Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell (2012)] had this whole segment where he was criticizing Django. He's a young black man with nappy hair and very dark skin, but he also has a very white wife and an interracial child. You can't tell me you know what people in the South did if you never spent time down there. He can say there had to be words Quentin (Tarantino) could use other than nigger. Well, what are they? These 20-somethings can't turn around and tell me the word nigger is fucked-up in Django yet still listen to Jay Z or whoever else say "nigger, nigger, nigger" throughout the music they listen to. "Oh, that's okay because that's dope, that's down, we all right with that." Bullshit. You can't have it one way and not the other. It's art-you can't not censor one thing and try to censor the other. Saying Tarantino said "nigger" too many times is like complaining they said "kike" too many times in a movie about Nazis.

(2013, on white directors doing films based on black history) There is this whole thing of "Nobody can tell our story but us," but that's apparently not true, because the Jackie Robinson movie finally got made as 42. Spike (Lee) didn't make it, but people still went to see it. When Boaz Yakin did Fresh (1994) in 1994, all of a sudden it was like, "Who is this Jewish motherfucker telling our stories?" He's the Jewish motherfucker who wrote the story, that's who. If you got a story like that in you, tell it. We'll see when [director] Steve McQueen s movie 12 Years a Slave (2013) comes out, if it'll be like, "What's this British motherfucker know about us?" Somebody's always going to say something. (2013) I'm not trying to change the world. I'm just trying to entertain people. (2013, on directing) I don't have that directing thing. I don't want to be out there setting up shots all day. I like to act.

I read the script and sign the contract. I like hanging out in my trailer watching Judge Judy (1996) and eating sandwiches. (2013, on maintaining sobriety) What's it been now, 22 years or something? There's all kinds of shit in my house that I've never tasted in my life, like Cristal-stuff I couldn't afford back when I was drinking. All I'd have to do is walk in the closet, open a beer, and no one would know, but I know that I probably wouldn't stop at one beer. So I drink nonalcoholic beer. I'm not looking for the kick. (2013, on Jungle Fever (1991) and staying sober) I got out of rehab, and about a week or something later, I was shooting the movie. I had a modicum of fame because I'd done other Spike Lee movies, so when I'd go buy coke or something, the guys sitting around would go, "Hey, man, _Do the Right Thing (1989)_(Qv)! Yeah, sit down!" and I sat right down and got high with them.

All of a sudden with Jungle Fever (1991) I'm travelling in a different circle, which brought the next challenge because that circle has some darkness too-drink, drugs, only now they're offering them to you free. Now you have the chance to really get fucked-up. You know how it is. Make a wrong turn at a party and there's a bunch of people sitting around a table with more cocaine in front of them than you saw the entire time when you were using. I said to myself, Do you want to be fucked-up and think you're having a good time, or do you want to be satisfied artistically and spiritually in another way? I chose the other way. (2013, on quitting drugs & alcohol and re-establishing his career) In 1990 my wife said, "Look, you're going to rehab," and the very next day I was in rehab. I didn't go kicking and screaming. I was tired, burned-out and at that low point of like, What the fuck is going on with me?

They ask you in rehab to take an assessment of how you got to the point you're at, and I said, "I guess I could have gone to that audition without my eyes red, without smelling like the beer I had or the weed I'd smoked." I never blamed anybody else for not being successful or not getting to the places I saw everybody else I worked with, like Wesley Snipes, get to. I had no problem doing roles like Black Guy in Sea of Love (1989) or Hold-Up Man in Coming to America (1988) or going to Boston once a year to get killed on Spenser: For Hire (1985) or A Man Called Hawk (1989). LaTanya asked, "Why are you doing these piddly-ass jobs?" I told her, "Well, this or that guy I worked with is probably going to be something somewhere down the line." I always left an impression in an audition. I was memorable. In rehab I saw that I owed it to myself to see things another way and try it the other way. I opened my mind to what was being said...

Like the petals were closed and, all of a sudden, the sun hit the flower and opened it up. People looked at it and it smelled great, it looked great to them. I'm like, Oh Jesus, this is not bad at all. I wondered whether I was going to be as much fun as I used to be, wondered whether people were going to think I was as good an actor. But the clarity and professional satisfaction that came with sobriety-couldn't beat it. [on Snakes on a Plane (2006)) I stand by that movie! Salary (4) Samuel L. Jackson Facts: 19 Things You (Probably) Don't Know About the 'Captain America' Star | Moviefone Samuel L. Jackson Facts: 19 Things You (Probably) Don't Know About the 'Captain America' Star by Jonny Black Samuel L. Jackson has been hard to miss since Quentin Tarantino 's 1994 "Pulp Fiction" catapulted the actor to stardom as the Bible-preaching hitman Jules Winnfield.

In case you've been living under a rock, Jackson has starred in dozens upon dozens of films since the action-packed cult-classic, including the "Star Wars" prequels and, more recently, in the Marvel superhero movies, like "Iron Man" and "The Avengers." This Friday, the actor reprises his role as the iconic Nick Fury in the latest Marvel blockbuster, " Captain America: The Winter Soldier ," opposite Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson . From his early days battling drug addiction to his weird connection with Bill Cosby, here are 19 things you probably don't know about Samuel L. Jackson. 1. Born in Washington D.C., the actor grew up an only child in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was raised by his mother and maternal grandparents. Jackson only met his father, who died from alcoholism, twice during his life. 2. At 19, Jackson attended Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral in Atlanta as an usher. 3. He made his feature film debut in "Together for Days" (1972), an independent blaxploitation movie. 4.

In 1969, Jackson was suspended for two years from Morehouse College and convicted of a second-degree felony when he and several other students held members of the college board of trustees hostage in exchange for school reform. In 1972, the actor earned his Bachelor's Degree from the college. 5. Early in his career, Jackson struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction to the extent that he was replaced in two plays when the productions transitioned to the Broadway stage. 6. Days after completing rehab for cocaine, the actor starred in Spike Lee 's " Jungle Fever " (1991) as a crack-cocaine addict. Jackson acknowledged the role was cathartic for him as he recovered from his addiction and, subsequently, won the Supporting Actor award at Cannes -- an award created just for him. 7. Jackson began using the curse word "motherf*****" in his daily speech in order to overcome a stuttering problem during childhood. 8. For three years, Jackson worked as a camera stand-in for Bill Cosby on "The Cosby Show." 9. The actor's movies have made more money than any other actor's in Hollywood actor -- exceeding $7 billion worldwide.

The residuals alone earn him about $300,000 a year! 10. It wasn't until Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" (1994) -- when he was 46 years old -- that Jackson broke out as a star. The actor was nominated for his iconic role as Jules Winnfield in what was his 30th film role. Altogether, Jackson has appeared in more than 100 movies. 11. He is a vegetarian. No Big Kahuna Burger for him! 12. Before discovering his love of acting, Jackson studied to become a marine biologist as well as an architect in college. 13. From 1993 to 2000, he appeared in four films with Bruce Willis: "Loaded Weapon 1," "Pulp Fiction," " Die Hard: With a Vengeance ," and " Unbreakable ." 14. Jackson is such an avid golfer that he includes a clause his contracts that permits him easy access to golf courses no matter the film shoot's location. 15. He's been eaten on screen by a dinosaur and a shark in " Jurassic Park " and " Deep Blue Sea ," respectively. 16.

Mace Windu (played by Jackson) is the only character in the "Star Wars" films to have a purple lightsaber. According to the actor, George Lucas explained that lightsabers don't come in purple, but Jackson insisted he have one. Because he's Sam Jackson. 17. Quentin Tarantino wrote the popular role of Jules Winnfield in "Pulp Fiction" specifically for Jackson. 18. He played the french horn and trumpet in the school symphony orchestra from elementary school through high school. 19. The actor is a huge fan of graphic novels, having read "Locke & Key" and "Scalped," just to name a few. Samuel L. Jackson still has his Mace Windu lightsaber – EW.com Pinterest Jon Pack / NBC Now that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is on the fast track to becoming the biggest movie of all time, some fans might soon start to forget the much-maligned prequel trilogy from a decade ago. Not Samuel L. Jackson. The actor, who played Jedi Master Mace Windu in the prequels, recounted his vivid memories of filming those films to Seth Meyers on Tuesday.

“I have my lightsaber at home, and the prop department acutally put ‘BMF’ on the on-switch,” Jackson said, making a reference to the wallet his Pulp Fiction character carries in that film. Jackson also recounted the story of how he got involved in the prequels. After mentioning that he’d like to work with George Lucas on a talk show, Jackson met the Star Wars auteur at Skywalker Ranch in California. Jackson said he would have been satisfied as a minor character (“I just want to run across the screen”) but when he showed up on set in London he was handed Jedi robes. “Then somebody came in and gave me some sides,” Jackson said. “I was like, ‘Who’s this?’ They said, ‘Well, Mace Windu is you.’ ‘Oh. Wait, I’m talking to Yoda? Okay, all right! So I’m definitely not dying right now!’ Then somebody came in with a haliburton full of lightsaber handles and said ‘pick one,’ and I about died.” WANT MORE? Keep up with all the latest late-night coverage by subscribing to our newsletter. Head here for more details .

As to why the talented actor agreed to do Star Wars in the first place, Jackson says he often makes acting choices based on what movies he enjoyed as a child. “I choose a lot of films because they’re films I would’ve gone to see when I was a kid,” Jackson said. “I mean, why else would you do Snakes on a Plane?” Show Full Article How did Samuel L Jackson become the highest-grossing film star of all time? | Film | The Guardian Film blog How did Samuel L Jackson become the highest-grossing film star of all time? Jackson's movies, ranging from Pulp Fiction to Snakes on a Plane, have grossed $7.4bn in total. So does it pay to be cool? 'I'd like to resuscitate this snake movie' ... Samuel L Jackson tries to stay cool in Snakes on a Plane. Photograph: New Line Pictures/AP Share on Messenger Close Who do you think is the highest-grossing movie star of all time? Tom Cruise? Arnold Schwarzenegger? John Wayne, perhaps? A woman? You couldn't be any more wrong. In fact, the Guinness Book of Records has just declared that it's actually Samuel L Jackson .

In total, his films have grossed $7.4bn (£4.6bn), putting him way above any of his co-workers, living or dead. But how has he managed this remarkable feat? Was it luck? Good choices? The strength of his ability? Let's find out how to become the highest-grossing movie star in history, the Samuel L Jackson way ... Step one: Never stop making films Since playing the part of Stan in 1972's Together for Days, Samuel L Jackson has featured in over 100 movies. The man is a machine. Not including videos and TV movies and videogames, Jackson still finds the time to appear in movie after movie after movie. In 2008, for example, you could have seen him in The Spirit, Soul Men, Lakeview Terrace, Iron Man, Gospel Hill and Jumper. Admittedly several of his films now are as Nick Fury, where he only has to put on an eyepatch and tut at Robert Downey Jr for a day or so, but even before that he had a work ethic that would exhaust his contemporaries.

Step two: Find a franchise and dig your heels in Samuel L Jackson has never been shy about his desire to see out his dotage in a nice comfortable franchise, but happily several of his attempts have ended in failure. He famously wanted his character to survive the end of Snakes on a Plane so that he could ride the wave of endless Snakes on a Plane sequels like some kind of conquering hero, but the film tanked and he never got his wish. The same goes for his horrible update of Shaft. But the tactic has paid off a couple of times. Wearing a dressing gown and spending the majority of three interminable Star Wars prequels discussing intergalactic taxation added $2.4bn to his grosses, while Nick Fury accounts for over a billion more. Step three: No part is too small if the film is big enough There's talk of a Nick Fury film being made in coming years but, to be fair, Samuel L Jackson doesn't really add a lot to his Marvel films at the moment. All he does is show up, sometimes not even until the end credits have finished, and mutter something about a team he's putting together.

Similarly, Mace Windu wasn't an essential component in Star Wars, his character in Jurassic Park came and went without many people even noticing that it was him and, career maker or not, Jackson's time on Pulp Fiction was mainly spent either talking about hamburgers or screaming biblical tracts at men with silly haircuts. Step four: Kick back and relax every now and then But Samuel L Jackson can't spend his entire career turning up, pulling one face and watching $288m get added on to his all-time gross, like he did in Coming to America. Sometimes you have to ignore the money and follow your soul. Sure, maybe films like Unthinkable or Country of My Skull or Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey weren't as popular as Jurassic Park and Star Wars and Iron Man, but they still count towards his combined total grosses. In their own way, they still count. Step five: Everybody loves a badass Did Mace Windu need to be a fearsome African American from Washington DC? No, he didn't, but George Lucas just thought it'd be cool. Was it essential that he narrated Inglourious Basterds over anyone else? No, but it was cool.

Technically, shouldn't Nick Fury have been played by David Hasselhoff? Perhaps, but Samuel L Jackson is cooler. Basically, the moral of the story is this: be cool enough and huge films will trip over themselves to give you tiny parts. And that's apparently how you break records. Star Wars Episode 7: Samuel L Jackson too busy for trilogy | Metro News Amy Duncan for Metro.co.uk Tuesday 17 Jun 2014 4:36 pm Samuel L Jackson hasn’t had a call from Star Wars bosses yet…but the dude is way too busy anyway (Picture: Getty Images) Samuel L Jackson has poured cold water all over his return to the Star Wars franchise, revealing that while he hasn’t had a call, he’s way too busy to get involved. The 65-year-old actor, who played Mace Windu in the films, insists he doesn’t mind not being asked back though because he has ‘so many things going on’ at the moment. (Really?

Star Wars 7 is going to be, like, the biggest film ever…!) Speaking on Lorraine, when asked if he wanted to be a part of the new trilogy he coolly replied: ‘No, not really – I thought I did and it would’ve been interesting.’ MORE: Samuel L Jackson recites Pulp Fiction Ezekiel speech off by heart like a boss Jackson continued: ‘But if I don’t get the call, I have so many things going on that I can do. ‘Hopefully that new era of Star Wars films will be as popular as the ones that we did and the ones that were done before.’ He certainly seems to be singing from a different hymn sheet now as back in 2012 he couldn’t have been more explicitly keen for a role in the Star Wars Episode VII film. Offering up possibilities for the revival of his character, he said: ‘I can come back as one-armed or a one-handed Jedi that’s still around that didn’t actually die. ‘[I could] be a ghost hologram. I don’t care. I just want to stay associated with the franchise. Not that I won’t because I’ve been in three of them.’ More Samuel L.

Jackson Profile - Metacritic Sign up Samuel L. Jackson Biography: Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American actor. He has starred in many Hollywood movies. His performance in Jungle Fever was so acclaimed, the 1991 Cannes Film Festival created a Supporting Actor award just for him. Along with that award, he has won many others including a Silver Berlin Bear, A BAFTA Film Award, and two Independent Spirit Awards. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Spike Lee movies Do The Right Thing, Mo' Better Blues and Jungle Fever, the Quentin Tarantino movies Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, and as Jedi Mace Windu in the prequel Star Wars Trilogy. Thus, he is usually cast into roles that involve a cool, controlled, "in-the-know" black man. His roles most always involve a memorable line delivery; and Jackson's trademark voice inflection lend heavily to this key attribute. He received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction. His impressive film career has given him the title of highest boxSamuel Leroy Jackson is an American actor. He has starred in many Hollywood movies.

His performance in Jungle Fever was so acclaimed, the 1991 Cannes Film Festival created a Supporting Actor award just for him. Along with that award, he has won many others including a Silver Berlin Bear, A BAFTA Film Award, and two Independent Spirit Awards. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the Spike Lee movies Do The Right Thing, Mo' Better Blues and Jungle Fever, the Quentin Tarantino movies Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown, and as Jedi Mace Windu in the prequel Star Wars Trilogy. Thus, he is usually cast into roles that involve a cool, controlled, "in-the-know" black man. His roles most always involve a memorable line delivery; and Jackson's trademark voice inflection lend heavily to this key attribute. He received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction. His impressive film career has given him the title of highest box office grossing actor, just passing Harrison Ford.

Partial filmography: Star Wars Episode 7: Samuel L Jackson thinking about going to open auditions to get a job on JJ Abrams film | Metro News Ann Lee for Metro.co.uk Tuesday 19 Nov 2013 2:03 pm Samuel L Jackson wants to reprise his role in the new Star Wars film (PIcture: PA) Samuel L Jackson has joked that he was considering heading to the Star Wars Episode 7 open auditions with Ewan McGregor and Mark Hamill in an attempt to get a role in the new film. The Pulp Fiction star, who played Jedi Master Mace Windu in three of the six Star Wars films, told TV show host David Letterman that he’s still not heard from director JJ Abrams – and neither has Hamill or McGregor. He said: ‘I asked Mark if he’d heard from JJ Abrams and he said, ‘No’, and then all of a sudden, Ewan was there [in London] and I spoke to him on the phone, asked him if he was there doing Star Wars.

He said, ‘No, they haven’t called me.’ ‘So I was thinking, maybe all three of us could just get together and go over to the Star Wars set and just stand around and see if maybe they could use some old Jedi! And then I heard on television they were auditioning people for Star Wars and I said, ‘Well, maybe we should just go through the auditions and see if we can get a job!” Hamill played the original Luke Skywalker while McGregor starred as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Jackson claimed he was eager to bag himself a role on the new film: ‘I pretty much hinted to JJ that I wanted to be in the film at George Lucas’ wedding, and he was kinda like, ‘Mmm’, that was about the most I got out of him.’ No casting news has been officially announced yet by the Star Wars team. Star Wars Episode 7 is out on December 18, 2015. MORE: Stormtroopers brought in for Star Wars Episode 7 auditions More Samuel L. Jackson in new childhood cancer PSA - CNN.com Samuel L.

Jackson in new childhood cancer PSA By Ashley Hayes, CNN Updated 12:52 PM ET, Tue February 4, 2014 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Actor Samuel L. Jackson is taking on a new role in a campaign to raise childhood cancer awareness. Story highlights A new campaign aims to increase awareness of childhood cancer and treatment Jackson says when he was a child, most kids with cancer didn't survive A new "Dream Team" focuses on childhood cancer research Actor Samuel L. Jackson has played a mob hit man and a Jedi master, among other roles. His newest role: Fighting childhood cancer. Jackson is featured in a new public awareness campaign, launched by the St. Baldrick's Foundation and Stand Up to Cancer , aimed at increasing awareness about childhood cancers. The campaign is designed to promote the "critical importance for infants and children, and in particular teens and young adults with childhood cancers, to be treated by pediatric oncologists," according to a statement from the organizations.

"Survival for teens and young adults is far greater when treated on pediatric cancer protocols." Each year, more than 175,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with cancer, and it's the No. 1 disease killer of children. The campaign also highlights the need to support pediatric cancer research, the organizations said. JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH Cancer patient reunites with lost dog 02:04 "When I was a child in the 1950s, most kids who got diagnosed with cancer had little chance of survival. Now, there is hope," said Jackson in a statement. "I am honored to join Stand Up to Cancer and the St. Baldrick's Foundation to help educate people about childhood cancer and the importance of seeing a pediatric oncologist." Mark Harmon in cancer immunotherapy awareness PSA Jackson, an Academy Award nominee who has appeared in more than 100 movies including "Pulp Fiction," "The Avengers" and the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy, is joined in the PSA by four St. Baldrick's Honored Kids, ages 10 to 19, who have all had cancer. Some of them are still fighting the disease. "Samuel L.

Jackson is a powerful actor and has played some seriously tough guys," said Kathleen Ruddy, chief executive officer of the St. Baldrick's Foundation. "It seems very fitting that we have someone with his level of intensity and power speaking out against childhood cancers, which are seriously tough diseases." St. Baldrick's Foundation is the leading nongovernmental provider of childhood cancer research grants, according to the statement. Earlier this year, the foundation and Stand Up to Cancer announced the formation of a "Dream Team" dedicated to childhood cancer research. The SU2C -- St. Baldrick's Pediatric Dream Team Translational Cancer Research Grant will provide $14.5 million in funding over four years for this project. Researchers on the team represent seven institutions in the United States and Canada. Will Congress carry on Gabriella's fight? "We are grateful to Samuel L. Jackson for lending his support to this extremely important campaign," said Sung Poblete, Stand Up to Cancer's president and CEO. "While great progress has been made in the battle against childhood cancer, the sad fact remains that one in five children diagnosed in the United States will not survive. Through the creation of the St.

Baldrick's-Stand Up to Cancer Dream Team, we are making progress in the fight against childhood cancer research."

Question: Which Jackson has starred in Star Wars and Pulp Fiction?
Answer: Samuel L Jackson