Few actors have the screen presence and the ubiquity of Samuel L. Jackson. From Pulp Fiction to Die Hard With a Vengeance to the Star Wars prequels to his journey as the Marvel cinematic universe’s own Nick Fury, Jackson has carved out a path as both a respected actor and a beloved pop culture figure. And in an entertainment landscape that increasingly relies on titles over actors, Jackson is one of our last great movie stars. And earlier this year, Jackson was recognized with an honorary Academy Award by his friend Denzel Washington, not just for his career achievements but for his philanthropy work. The iconic actor sat down with the Los Angeles Times, where he discussed his life and career.
Jackson, who is 73, was thrilled to receive the award, but noted that accolades were never that important to him. He said, “I was never going to let the Oscars be a measure of my success or failure as an actor. My yardstick of success is my happiness: Am I satisfied with what I’m doing? I’m not doing statue-chasing movies. You know [whispers]: ‘If you do this movie, you’ll win an Oscar.’ No, thanks. I’d rather be Nick Fury. Or having fun being Mace Windu with a lightsaber in my hand.”
Jackson elaborated, “I want to do the stuff that made me want to go to the movies when I was a kid. I want to do that movie that people just want to see so they can get out of themselves. That’s the guy I chose to be and I’m fine with it. I’m satisfied because that’s who I am. I’m the guy who does the lines that people see on T-shirts. There’s actors who go their whole careers and no one can quote a line they’ve said in a movie. People go to watch my movies to see how crazy I’m going to be or see how many times I say motherf—. [Laughs] Whatever gets them in the seats.”
Jackson has similarly defended Marvel movies and blockbusters, arguing that people need somewhere to escape to and enjoy themselves. And he’s not wrong. After the latest director slammed the franchise, Jackson appeared on The View where he said that “it’s easy” for directors to slam the MCU “only because people aren’t going to see their movies.” He added, “Movies are movies, … Those are the movies that I went to see when I was a kid. And the artistry of making a movie is something that was a mystery for so long. Making movies is no longer a mystery. Kids know how to do it on their phones. So it’s easy for [directors] to dismiss it, only because people aren’t going to see their movie.”
(via LA Times, Image: Marvel)
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