Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, thefilms in which he has appeared have collectively grossed more than $27 billion worldwide, making him thehighest-grossing actor of all time.[a][4] In 2022, he received theAcademy Honorary Award as "a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide".[5][6][7]
Samuel Leroy Jackson was born inWashington, D.C., on December 21, 1948,[13] the only child of Elizabeth Harriett (née Montgomery) and Roy Henry Jackson.[14][15] He grew up inChattanooga, Tennessee.[13][16] His father lived away from the family inKansas City, Missouri, and later died of alcoholism. Jackson met him only twice during his life.[17][18] He was raised by his mother, a factory worker and later a supplies buyer for amental institution; he was also raised by his maternal grandparents, Edgar and Pearl Montgomery, as well as extended family.[15][17][19] According to DNA tests, Jackson partially descends from theBenga people ofGabon, and he became a naturalized citizen of Gabon in 2019.[20] He attended severalsegregated schools[21] and graduated from Riverside High School in Chattanooga.[13] He played theFrench horn,piccolo, trumpet, and flute in the school orchestra.[22][23] He developed astutter during childhood and learned to "pretend to be other people who didn't stutter". He still uses the word "motherfucker" to get through a speech block. He still has days where he stutters.[23][24] Initially intent on pursuing a degree inmarine biology, he attendedMorehouse College inAtlanta, Georgia.[13] After joining a local acting group to earn extra points in a class, he found an interest in acting and switched his major.[25] Before graduating in 1972, he co-founded the Just Us Theatre.[17]
AfterMartin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in 1968, Jackson attended King's funeral in Atlanta as one of the ushers.[26] He then traveled toMemphis, Tennessee, to join an equal rights protest march. In a 2005Parade interview, he said, "I was angry about the assassination, but I wasn't shocked by it. I knew that change was going to take something different—not sit-ins, not peaceful coexistence."[27] In 1969, Jackson and several other students held members of the Morehouse College board of trustees (includingMartin Luther King Sr.) hostage on the campus, demanding reform in the school's curriculum and governance.[28] The college eventually agreed to change its policy, but Jackson was charged with and eventually convicted of unlawful confinement, a second-degreefelony.[29] He was suspended for two years for his criminal record and his actions. He would later return to the college to earn aBA in drama in 1972.[30] While he was suspended, he took a job as a social worker in Los Angeles.[31] He decided to return to Atlanta, where he met withStokely Carmichael,H. Rap Brown, and others active in theBlack Power movement.[27] He began to feel empowered with his involvement in the movement, especially when the group began buying guns.[27] However, before he could become involved with any significant armed confrontations, his mother sent him to Los Angeles after theFBI warned her that he would die within a year if he remained with the group.[27] In a 2018 interview withVogue, he denied having been a member of theBlack Panther Party.[32]
Jackson initially majored in marine biology at Morehouse College before switching to architecture. He later settled on drama after taking a public speaking class and appearing in a version ofThe Threepenny Opera.[22] Jackson began acting on the stage, includingHome andA Soldier's Play, which was the inspiration for the 1984 filmA Soldier's Story.[17] He appeared in several television films, and made his feature film debut in theblaxploitation independent filmTogether for Days (1972).[13][33] After these initial roles, Jackson moved from Atlanta to New York City in 1976, and spent the next decade appearing in stage plays, including the premieres ofThe Piano Lesson andTwo Trains Running at theYale Repertory Theater.[31][34] To supplement his income while auditioning, he worked at theManhattan Plaza apartment complex as an overnight security guard.[35] Jackson developed addictions to alcohol and cocaine, which prevented him from proceeding with the two plays to Broadway (actorsCharles S. Dutton andAnthony Chisholm took his place).[30]
Jackson played a minor role in the 1990Martin Scorsese filmGoodfellas, as real-lifeMafia associateStacks Edwards. Having overdosed on heroin several times, he switched to cocaine.[38] His family entered him into a New York rehabilitation clinic.[22][39] After he completed rehabilitation, he appeared inJungle Fever as acrack cocaine addict. Jackson said that the role was cathartic,[17] commenting, "It was a funny kind of thing. By the time I was out of rehab, about a week or so later I was on set and we were ready to start shooting."[40] His performance was so acclaimed that the jury of1991 Cannes Film Festival added a special "Supporting Actor" award just for him.[18][41] Following this role, Jackson became involved with the comedyStrictly Business and dramasJuice andPatriot Games. He then moved on to two other comedies:National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 (his first starring role) andAmos & Andrew.[42][43] Jackson worked with the directorSteven Spielberg in 1993'sJurassic Park.[44]
Jackson at the premiere forCleaner in Paris, April 2008
1994–1998: Career breakthrough
After a turn as the criminal Big Don in 1993'sTrue Romance—written byQuentin Tarantino and directed byTony Scott—Tarantino asked Jackson to play Jules Winnfield inPulp Fiction (1994). Jackson was surprised to learn that the part had been specifically written for him: "To know that somebody had written something like Jules for me. I was overwhelmed, thankful, arrogant—this whole combination of things that you could be, knowing that somebody's going to give you an opportunity like that."[45]Pulp Fiction, Jackson's thirtieth film, made him internationally recognized and he received praise from critics.Entertainment Weekly wrote: "As superb asTravolta,Willis, andKeitel are, the actor who reigns overPulp Fiction is Samuel L. Jackson. He just about lights fires with his gremlin eyes and he transforms his speeches into hypnotic bebop soliloquies."[46] For the Academy Awards,Miramax Films pushed for, and received, theBest Supporting Actor nomination for Jackson.[47] He also received aGolden Globe nomination and won theBAFTA Award forBest Supporting Role.[48][49][50]
AfterPulp Fiction, Jackson received multiple scripts to review: "I could easily have made a career out of playing Jules over the years. Everybody's always sending me the script they think is the newPulp Fiction."[51] With a succession of poor-performing films such asKiss of Death,The Great White Hype, andLosing Isaiah, Jackson began to receive poor reviews from critics who had praised his performance inPulp Fiction. This ended with his involvement in two box-office successes:Die Hard with a Vengeance, in which he starred alongsideBruce Willis in the third installment of theDie Hard series; andA Time to Kill, where he played a father put on trial for killing two men who raped his daughter.[52][53] ForA Time to Kill, Jackson earned an NAACP Image for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and aGolden Globe nomination for a Best Supporting Actor.[54]
Quickly becoming a box office star, Jackson continued with three starring roles in 1997. In187 he played a dedicated teacher striving to leave an impact on his students.[55] He received an Independent Spirit award for Best First Feature alongside first-time writer/directorKasi Lemmons in the dramaEve's Bayou, for which he also served as executive producer.[56] He worked again with Tarantino onJackie Brown and received theSilver Bear for Best Actor at theBerlin Film Festival[57] and a fourth Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of the arms merchant Ordell Robbie.[58] In 1998, he worked with established actors:Sharon Stone andDustin Hoffman inSphere; andKevin Spacey inThe Negotiator, playing a hostage negotiator who resorts to taking hostages himself when he is falsely accused of murder and embezzlement.[59][60] In 1999, Jackson starred in the horror filmDeep Blue Sea, and asJedi MasterMace Windu inGeorge Lucas'Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.[61][62] In an interview, Jackson claimed that he did not have a chance to read the script for the film and did not learn he was playing the character Mace Windu until he was fitted for his costume (though he later said that he was eager to accept any role, just for the chance to be a part of theStar Wars saga).[63]
On June 13, 2000, Jackson was honored with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Blvd.[64] He began the next decade of his film career playing a Marine colonel put on trial inRules of Engagement, co-starred withBruce Willis for a third time in thesupernatural thrillerUnbreakable, and starred in the2000 remake of the 1971 filmShaft. He reprised both of the latter roles in 2019, hisUnbreakable character Mr. Glass inGlass and Shaft in another film titledShaft.[65][66][67] Jackson's sole film in 2001 wasThe Caveman's Valentine, a murder thriller directed by Lemmons in which he played a homeless musician.[68] In 2002, he played a recovering alcoholic, attempting to keep custody of his kids while fighting a battle of wits inChanging Lanes, co-starringBen Affleck.[17] He returned forStar Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, seeing his minor supporting role develop into a major character. Mace Windu's purplelightsaber in the film was the result of Jackson's suggestion;[17] he wanted to be sure that his character would stand out in a crowded battle scene.[69][70] Jackson then acted as anNSA agent, alongsideVin Diesel inXXX, and as a kilt-wearing drug dealer inThe 51st State.[71][72] In 2003, Jackson again worked withJohn Travolta inBasic and then as a police sergeant alongsideColin Farrell in the television show remakeS.W.A.T.[73][74] A song within the soundtrack was named after him, entitled "Sammy L. Jackson" byHot Action Cop.[75] Jackson also appeared in HBO's documentaryUnchained Memories, as a narrator along many other stars likeAngela Bassett andWhoopi Goldberg.Based on reviews gathered byRotten Tomatoes, in 2004 Jackson starred in both his lowest and highest ranked films in his career.[76] In the thrillerTwisted, Jackson played a mentor toAshley Judd.[77] The film garnered a 2% approval rating on the website, with reviewers calling his performance "lackluster" and "wasted".[78][79][80] He then lent his voice to the animated filmThe Incredibles as the superhero Frozone.[81] The film received a 97% approval rating, and Jackson's performance earned him anAnnie Award nomination for Best Voice Acting.[82][83] He made a cameo in another Quentin Tarantino film,Kill Bill: Volume 2.[84]
In 2005, he starred in the sports dramaCoach Carter, where he played a coach (based on the actual coachKen Carter) dedicated to teaching his players that education is more important than basketball.[85] Although the film received mixed reviews, Jackson's performance was praised despite the film's storyline.[86][87] Bob Townsend of theAtlanta Journal-Constitution commended Jackson's performance, "He takes what could have been a cardboard cliché role and puts flesh on it with his flamboyant intelligence."[88] Jackson also returned for two sequels:XXX: State of the Union, this time commandingIce Cube, and the finalStar Wars prequel film,Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.[89] His last film for 2005 wasThe Man alongside comedianEugene Levy.[90] On November 4, 2005, he was presented with theHawaii International Film Festival Achievement in Acting Award.[91]
On January 30, 2006, Jackson was honored with a hand and footprint ceremony atGrauman's Chinese Theatre; he is the seventh African American and 191st actor to be recognized in this manner.[92] In an interview that year, he said that he chooses roles that are "exciting to watch" and have an "interesting character inside of a story", and that in his roles he wanted to "do things [he hasn't] done, things [he] saw as a kid and wanted to do and now [has] an opportunity to do".[93] He next starred opposite actressJulianne Moore in thebox-office bombFreedomland, where he depicted a police detective attempting to help a mother find her abducted child while quelling a citywiderace riot.[94][95] Jackson's second film of the year,Snakes on a Plane, gainedcult film status months before it was released based on its title and cast.[96] Jackson's decision to star in the film was solely based on the title.[97] To build anticipation for the film, he also cameoed in the 2006 music video "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)" byCobra Starship. On December 2, 2006, Jackson won the GermanBambi Award for International Film, based on his many film contributions.[98] In December 2006, Jackson starred inHome of the Brave, as a doctor returning home from theIraq War.[99]
In 2008, he portrayed the villain inThe Spirit, which was poorly received by critics and the box office.[107][108] In 2009, he again worked with Quentin Tarantino when he narrated several scenes in the World War II filmInglourious Basterds.[109]
Jackson appeared in theCapital One cash-back credit card commercials, and he also appeared in aSky Broadband Shield commercial,Sky UK's broadband service as Nick Fury to promote Captain America: The Winter Soldier.[146] Additionally, he played Nick Fury in an ad for the video gameMarvel Snap.[147] Jackson released a song about social justice withKRS-One,Sticky Fingaz,Mad Lion andTalib Kweli about violence in America called "I Can't Breathe", which were the last words said byEric Garner.[148]
Throughout the 1990s, A.C. Neilson E.C.I., a box office–tracking company, determined that Jackson appeared in more films than any other actor who grossed $1.7 billion domestically.[150] By 2011, the films that featured Jackson as a leading actor or supporting co-star had grossed a total of $2.81[151] to $4.91 billion[152] at the North American box office. This placed him as the seventh-highest-grossing lead actor and the second-highest-grossing actor, behind only voice actorFrank Welker. The 2009 edition ofThe Guinness World Records, which uses a different calculation to determine film grosses, stated that Jackson is the world's highest-grossing actor, with $7.42 billion generated across 68 films.[153] Subsequently, as of 2022, according to data calculated by theGolden Globes, this total has grown to more than $27 billion grossed across 152 movies, making him the highest-grossing actor, and second-highest grossing person in film in general behindStan Lee, who was primarily known for his cameo work.[154][155][156]
In 1980, Jackson married actress and producerLaTanya Richardson,[157] whom he met while attendingMorehouse College.[17] The couple have a daughter named Zoe (b. 1982).[158] In 2009, they started their own charity to help support education.[157] Jackson has said that he watches his own films in cinemas: "Even during my theater years, I wished I could watch the plays I was in—while I was in them! I dig watching myself work."[159] He also enjoys collecting the action figures of the characters he portrays in his films, includingJules Winnfield,Shaft,Mace Windu, andFrozone.[160]
Jackson is bald but enjoys wearing wigs in his films.[161] He said about his decision toshave his head, "I keep ending up on those 'bald is beautiful' lists. It's cool. You know, when I startedlosing my hair, it was during the era when everybody had lots of hair. All of a sudden, I felt this big hole in the middle of myafro. I couldn't face having acomb over so I had to quickly figure what the haircut for me was."[161] His first bald role was inThe Great White Hype.[162] He usually gets to pick his own hairstyles for each character he portrays.[162][163] He poked fun at his baldness the first time he appeared bald onThe Tonight Show, explaining that he had to shave his head for one role, but then kept receiving more and more bald roles and had to keep shaving his head so that wigs could be made for him. He joked that "the only way [he's] gonna have time to grow [his] hair back is if [he's] not working". He is noted for often wearing aKangol hat in public.[164]
Jackson has a clause in his contracts that allows him to play golf during film shoots.[21][23][48] He has played in the Gary Player Invitational charity golf tournament to assistGary Player in raising funds for children in South Africa.[22] He is a keen basketball fan, supporting theToronto Raptors and theHarlem Globetrotters.[165] He has supported English football teamLiverpool FC since appearing inThe 51st State, which was shot inLiverpool,[166] and also supports Irish football teamBohemian FC.[167]
He was grantedGabonese citizenship in 2019 after the results of a DNA test claimed to link him to the country'sBenga ethnic group.[20] Jackson stopped drinking alcohol after having problems with addiction.[168][169]
Jackson campaigned during the2008 Democratic Primary forBarack Obama inTexarkana, Texas. He said, "Barack Obama represents everything I was told I could be growing up. I am a child ofsegregation. When I grew up and people told me I could be president, I knew it was a lie. But now we have a representative... theAmerican Dream is a reality. Anyone can grow up to be a president."[170] He also said, "I voted for Barack because he was black. That's why other folks vote for other people—because they look like them."[171] In December 2012, he compared hisDjango Unchained character, a villainous house slave who sides with his white oppressors, to black conservative JusticeClarence Thomas and said that the character had "the same moral compass as Clarence Thomas does".[172] Following the Supreme Court'sdecision to overturnRoe v. Wade in June 2022, he again criticized Thomas, referring to him as "Uncle Clarence" and asking how Thomas—who is married to white attorneyGinni Thomas—feels about overturningLoving v. Virginia, a Supreme Court ruling that prohibited states from outlawing interracial marriages.[173]
In June 2013, Jackson launched a joint campaign withPrizeo in an effort to raise money to fightAlzheimer's disease. As part of the campaign, he recited various fan-written monologues and a popular scene from theAMC seriesBreaking Bad.[174][175] In August 2013, he started following avegan diet for health reasons, explaining that he is "just trying to live forever".[176] He attributed his 40 lb (18 kg) weight loss to the diet.[177] He had largely abandoned the diet by March 2017, but still praised and recommended it.[13] He launched a campaign called "One for the Boys", which teaches men about testicular cancer and urges them to "get themselves checked out".[178][179]
In 2020, during theCOVID-19 pandemic, Jackson encouraged people towear face masks as part of California's "Your Actions Save Lives" campaign. Along withDwayne Johnson, he also encouraged those who had recovered from COVID-19 to donate their blood to help others fighting the virus.[180] He additionally appeared onJimmy Kimmel Live! to read a satirical book,Stay the Fuck at Home, which spread awareness ofsocial distancing.[181]
^Jackson is listed as the second-highest-grossing person in film of all time behindStan Lee, who was not an actor but earned first place due to the cameo appearances he made in most of the blockbuster films adapted from comic book characters he created.[1][2][3]
^abcdefJackson, Samuel L. (March 7, 2017).Samuel L. Jackson Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions. Autocomplete Interview.Wired (Video). Los Angeles. Events occur at 0:16–0:27, 0:37–0:39, 0:42–0:44, 1:26–1:28, and 1:48–1:52.Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. RetrievedJune 18, 2018 – via YouTube.
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