HomeActorsThe Art of Acting: Craft and Creativity of -Samuel...

The Art of Acting: Craft and Creativity of -Samuel L. Jackson-

BIOGRAPHY:

Samuel Leroy Jackson is a Hollywood actor, known for his work with famous directors and participation in films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While remaining an idol of millions, the performer does not consider himself a legend, referring to those who “have created something truly outstanding,” while he, in his opinion, achieved fame through hard work and perseverance.

Childhood and youth:

Samuel was born on December 21, 1948 in Washington, USA. The early period of his biography took place in the city of Chattanooga, where the boy lived with his mother and grandparents. The father went to Kansas and later died of alcoholism. He saw his son only a few times and did not participate in his upbringing.

Samuel studied well at school and was fond of music – he played the trumpet in the school orchestra. As a teenager, he decided he would become a marine biologist, and after graduation he applied to college in Atlanta. During his studies, the young man became interested in acting and soon decided to change his specialty. He organized the amateur theater Just Us, the backbone of which was made up of black students.

His family did not believe in his acting talent and doubted his choice of profession. That changed when Jackson starred in a hamburger commercial. He ate fast food so deliciously that the audience would never have suspected him of insincerity. The student received his first money for filming.

Movies:

Samuel made his film debut in the film “Together Forever”, after which several more episodic roles followed. They did not bring popularity to the guy, and in subsequent years he rarely appeared on screens, playing in the theater. There, the young artist was noticed by aspiring director Spike Lee, who influenced his subsequent career.

In his youth, Jackson could have played much more roles, but due to problems with drugs and alcohol, he lost this chance. After another overdose, his family sent him to a New York clinic for rehabilitation. When the artist was discharged, it was Lee who helped him get back on his feet, offering to play the role of Gator in the film “Tropical Fever”.

The problem turned out to be that Samuel’s character was written as a drug addict. Those around him dissuaded the actor from participating, fearing that he would have a relapse during filming, but Jackson decided to take a risk and was right. Especially for him, the Cannes Film Festival introduced the nomination “Best Actor in a Supporting Role”, after which the actor was literally bombarded with film offers.

In 1993, viewers saw Jackson in the famous film “Jurassic Park” by the famous director Steven Spielberg. It is noteworthy that initially the scene of the death of his character Ray Arnold was supposed to be shown in all the bloody details, but due to the fact that a hurricane was raging in Hawaii, where filming was planned, it had to be greatly reduced.

By the time work on “Pulp Fiction” began, the performer’s filmography already included about 30 works. He was famous for his hard work and was loved by directors. Perhaps this is why Quentin Tarantino wrote the character of Jules Winnfield specifically for him. This role brought Samuel an Oscar nomination and a British Academy Award, and many considered his performance even brighter than John Travolta’s on-screen incarnation.

Despite the fact that, according to viewers, it was “Pulp Fiction” that made Jackson a global star, he denies this assumption. According to the actor, he became much more recognizable thanks to the film “Die Hard 3: With a Vengeance” starring Bruce Willis. After the premiere, people started talking about Samuel outside the United States.

Subsequently, the actor starred in many films beloved by the public, including the film “Jackie Brown” along with Robert De Niro. The next striking image of the star was Danny Roman from the action movie “The Negotiator,” where Jackson was accompanied by Kevin Spacey. The film received a nomination for the Saturn Award, and the leading actor earned $5 million.

At the turn of the century, the first film in the Star Wars franchise was released, directed by George Lucas. In it, Jackson played Mace Windu, a member of the Jedi Council. The film was enthusiastically received by the public and brought the creators $1 billion in the first year of distribution. This was followed by numerous sequels in which the actor returned to the already well-known image. A purple lightsaber was created especially for Jackson, which allowed him to emphasize the significance of the character.

In the summer of 2000, the actor received a personal star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood. The new century brought him many interesting roles. The performer delighted fans with his appearance in the crime action film XXx, directed by Rob Cohen, which also starred Vin Diesel, Asia Argento and Marton Csokas. The actor later played Augustus Gibbons in the 2nd and 3rd parts of the franchise.

The star managed to work with Tarantino again on the set of Kill Bill 2. In a work that the director himself considers one of the best in his filmography, Samuel found the secondary role of the musician Rufus, and he coped with it brilliantly.

A new turn in the actor’s career was the signing of a contract with Marvel to participate in films of this cinematic universe. Interestingly, several years before this, Jackson agreed that the ultimate version of the Nick Fury character would be based on him. Therefore, comic book fans greeted the appearance of the celebrity on the screens with delight. Subsequently, the head of the fictional organization S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed by him, regularly appeared in films about Thor, Iron Man and other superheroes.

In 2010, the thriller “The Unthinkable” premiered, where the star played Agent H. Colleagues on the set were Michael Sheen, Carrie-Anne Moss and Gil Bellows. At the box office, the film received an R rating for an abundance of scenes of violence and obscene language.

Samuel’s significant work is Quentin Tarantino’s film Django Unchained, a role in which the actor chose himself. The character of the butler Stephen attracted the performer due to its inconsistency and distinctive features in comparison with his other characters. Jackson conveyed his vision of this image on the screen.

Later, the actor and director met on the set of The Hateful Eight. According to Jackson, he developed a warm relationship with his colleagues on the set. They continued to correspond even after filming was completed.

A year before the premiere, the performer appeared in the adventure film “The Big Game,” which was filmed by Finnish, German and English filmmakers. The actor could not refuse the project, since he was destined for the role of the US President himself.

In addition to the screening of The Hateful Eight, 2015 was marked by the release of Matthew Vaughn’s action-comedy film Kingsman: The Secret Service. The actor made a significant contribution to the creation of the image of the eccentric billionaire Richmond Valentine, endowing him with mannerisms and a lisp. Although in the plot the hero is an antagonist, the celebrity does not consider him negative. Samuel sees Richmond as an idealist who is too carried away by his ideas.

Another character Jackson had a hand in creating was Darius Kincaid in the comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard. At the actor’s initiative, the mercenary got tattoos of crows on his body—one for each person he killed. In addition to Samuel, the film stars Ryan Reynolds and Salma Hayek. Later they teamed up to work on a sequel – the film “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.”

Shortly before the release of The Hitman’s Bodyguard, fans saw Samuel in the adventure film Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, based on the novel by Ransom Riggs. The actor appeared on screen as the villain Mr. Barron.

In 2019, 19 years after participating in the filming of the film “Unbreakable” directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the performer appeared in the title role of the sequel to this project – “Glass”. Even while working on the 1st part, the actor consulted with people suffering from osteogenesis imperfecta: his hero was also diagnosed with this.

That same year, Jackson again played Agent Nick Fury in the superhero action film Captain Marvel. This time, viewers got the opportunity to learn more about the character’s past. The star was accompanied by Brie Larson, with whom he worked together on the set of the film Kong: Skull Island.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, fans were able to enjoy several of the actor’s on-screen works, in particular the drama “The Banker,” based on the biographies of business partners Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris.

In 2021, the actor added the horror film “Saw: Spiral” to the list of releases, where he played the role of Marcus.

Despite the actor’s impressive filmography, there are not many projects where he appears in the foreground. In 2022, this injustice was resolved. In The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray, Samuel played the central character in all six episodes, playing the role of an old man suffering from dementia.

The Story of Ptolemy is an adaptation of Walter Mosley’s book. The writer turned to such a complex topic after his mother was diagnosed with senile dementia. The creators of the project expressed confidence that it would be difficult for Jackson’s fans to see their idol in this form – old and broken. But the performer himself happily agreed to filming, becoming one of the first approved actors in the cast.

Fighting racism:

Over the years, Jackson faced racial discrimination. According to the actor’s recollections, as a child his grandfather taught him not to raise his eyes in the presence of representatives of the white race, since talking to them directly was considered a sign of arrogance. Later, in memory of this, Samuel named his own film studio Uppity (“Insolent”).

Social injustice turned him into an ardent defender of the rights of black people. At the age of 20, Jackson, along with like-minded people, went to a demonstration after the assassination of Martin Luther King. He later participated in the takeover of his college’s board of trustees, demanding reforms in governance and curriculum. This incident resulted in a 2 year suspension.

After this, Samuel worked for some time as a social worker, but continued to defend his ideas. He became close to members of the Black Power movement who were planning armed attacks. However, after the FBI interviewed his mother, the family decided to send Samuel to Los Angeles.

Already an accomplished actor, Jackson experienced oppression from the light-skinned population. For example, a group of black people who participated in the filming of “Pulp Fiction” caused concern among passers-by on the street. And an interview in which he was confused with Laurence Fishburne left the star indignant. By the way, fans of the actor noted an external resemblance to another celebrity – Morgan Freeman.

In subsequent years, the actor continued to support the fight against racism. Samuel considered the accession of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States to be a significant step towards overcoming discrimination. The actor himself participated in his election campaign.

Social activity:

Jackson regularly donates money to support education. He also collaborates with the online platform Prizeo, participating in fundraising to fight Alzheimer’s disease. Such activities are significant for the actor, since members of his family themselves suffered from this disease. The performer worries about his memory and tries to train it by solving crossword puzzles.

With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, the actor joined the “Your Actions to Save Lives” campaign. He encouraged people to wear masks and donate blood plasma to help those who are sick. On Jimmy Kimmel Live, Samuel read the satirical book Stay the F*ck at Home.

Personal life:

In his personal life, the performer turned out to be a monogamist. He met his future wife, actress Latanya Richardson, in college. In 1980, the lovers registered their relationship, and 2 years after the wedding, their daughter Zoe was born. Now she works as a producer on a sports channel. Photos of the artist’s family can not often be seen on his Instagram account (the social network is banned in the Russian Federation, it belongs to the Meta corporation, which is recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation). Jackson uses the platform to share news and his views. Some of his publications are quite witty. So, in 2020, he posted a video in which he called for voting in the elections to overthrow then-current US President Donald Trump, and uttered the phrase “F*ck you” in 15 languages.

Samuel L. Jackson now:

The actor has repeatedly said that his hero Fury simply must be in every film project in the Marvel universe. Of course, this was impossible. But in 2023, fans of comics and Jackson’s work received two gifts from the film company.

In June, the premiere of the 6-episode action film “Secret Invasion” took place. It is curious that, despite Nick Fury’s frequent appearances on screens, his past contained many dark spots. Now it’s time to talk about all the skeletons in the closet. Jackson himself was delighted with the plot twists, since he always liked controversial characters.

Next up for fans of comic book adaptations was the full-length Marvel film, the events of which, Samuel said in an interview, were plot-related to the Skrull attack from Secret Invasion.

Filmography:

1981 — “Ragtime”
1991 — “Tropical Fever”
1993 — “Jurassic Park”
1994 — “Pulp Fiction”
1997 — “Jackie Brown”
1999 — “Star Wars. Hidden threat”
2000 — “Shaft”
2004 — “Kill Bill 2”
2008 — “Avenger”
2012 — “Django Unchained”
2015 — “The Hateful Eight”
2017 — “The Hitman’s Bodyguard”
2019 — “Glass”
2019 — “Captain Marvel”
2019 — “Avengers: Endgame”
2019 — “Spider-Man: Far From Home”
2019 – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Sunrise”
2021 — “Saw: Spiral”
2021 — “Bodyguard of the Hitman’s Wife”
2022 — “The Last Days of Ptolemy Gray”
2023 — “Secret Invasion”
2023 — “Marvels”

Interesting Facts:

As a result of a DNA test, the artist was able to find out that he comes from the Gabonese Benga tribe. After this, the actor visited the state and even received a passport as a citizen of Gabon.
As a child, Samuel suffered from a stutter, which he overcame through acting. But he still uses the word motherfucker to overcome his speech block. This word can often be heard in films with his participation.
The artist weighs about 94 kg and is 189 cm tall. In the past, he followed a vegan diet, thanks to which he lost weight for filming the film “Tarzan. Legend”, but soon decided to abandon it. Now the performer is an avid golfer. The need for a nearby playing area is stipulated in his contract.
Jackson is known as a collector: he collects hats and figurines of his characters.

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