Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him the second highest-grossing actor of all time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave him an Academy Honorary Award in 2022 as "A cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide". Jackson started his career on stage making his professional theatre debut in Mother Courage and her Children in 1980 at The Public Theatre. From 1981 to 1983 he originated the role of Private Louis Henderson in A Soldier's Play Off-Broadway. He also originated the role of Boy Willie in August Wilson's The Piano Lesson in 1987 at the Yale Repertory Theatre. He returned to the play in the 2022 Broadway revival playing Doaker Charles. Jackson early film roles include Coming to America (1988), Goodfellas (1990), Patriot Games (1992), Juice (1992), True Romance (1993), and Jurassic Park (1993), Menace II Society (1993), and Fresh (1994). His collaborations with Spike Lee led to greater prominence with films such as School Daze (1988), Do the Right Thing (1989), Mo' Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), Oldboy (2013), and Chi-Raq (2015). Jackson's breakout role was in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994) which earned him a BAFTA Award win and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He further collaborated with Tarantino, acting in Jackie Brown (1997), Django Unchained (2012), and The Hateful Eight (2015). He's known for having appeared in a number of big-budget films, including Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), A Time to Kill (1996), The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), The Negotiator (1997), Deep Blue Sea (1999), Unbreakable (2000), Shaft (2000) and its reboot (2019), XXX (2002), S.W.A.T. (2003), Coach Carter (2005), Snakes on a Plane (2006), Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), Kong: Skull Island (2017), and Glass (2019). He also gained widespread recognition as the Jedi Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequel trilogy (1999–2005), later voicing the role in the animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) and the video game Lego Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2011). With his permission, his likeness was used for the Ultimate version of the Marvel Comics character Nick Fury; he subsequently played Fury in 11 Marvel Cinematic Universe films, beginning with a cameo appearance in Iron Man (2008), as well as guest-starring in the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He will reprise this role in the upcoming Disney+ series Secret Invasion, which is set to premiere on June 21, 2023. Jackson has provided his voice for several animated films, documentaries, television series, and video games, including Lucius Best / Frozone in the Pixar films The Incredibles (2004) and Incredibles 2 (2018).
Known For
Credits
- 2025 · Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair as Rufus
- 2025 · Afterburn as Valentine
- 2025 · The Unholy Trinity as St. Christopher
- 2024 · The Garfield Movie as Vic (voice)
- 2024 · Damaged as Dan Lawson
- 2024 · Argylle as Alfie
- 2023 · The Marvels as Nick Fury
- 2023 · The Kill Room as Gordon
- 2023 · Secret Invasion as Nick Fury
- 2023 · Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur as Nick Fury (voice)
- 2022 · The Jennifer Hudson Show as
- 2022 · Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank as Jimbo (voice)
- 2022 · The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey as Ptolemy Grey
- 2021 · The Protégé as Moody
- 2021 · What If...? as Nick Fury (voice)
- 2021 · What If...? as Sir Fury (voice)
- 2021 · Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard as Darius Kincaid
- 2021 · Spiral: From the Book of Saw as Marcus Banks
- 2021 · Marvel Studios Legends as Nick Fury (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2020 · Staged as Sam
- 2020 · The Banker as Joe Morris
- 2019 · Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as Mace Windu (voice)
- 2019 · The Movies That Made Us as Self (archive footage)
- 2019 · QT8: The First Eight as Self (uncredited)
- 2019 · Tamron Hall as Self - Guest
- 2019 · Spider-Man: Far From Home as Nick Fury
- 2019 · Shaft as John Shaft
- 2019 · Avengers: Endgame as Nick Fury
- 2019 · Captain Marvel as Nick Fury
- 2019 · Glass as Elijah Price / Mr. Glass
- 2018 · Incredibles 2 as Lucius Best / Frozone (voice)
- 2018 · Avengers: Infinity War as Nick Fury (uncredited)
- 2017 · The Hitman's Bodyguard as Darius Kincaid
- 2017 · Carpool Karaoke: The Series as Self
- 2017 · Kong: Skull Island as Lieutenant Colonel Preston Packard
- 2017 · xXx: Return of Xander Cage as Agent Augustus Gibbons
- 2016 · BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration as Self
- 2016 · Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children as Barron
- 2016 · The Legend of Tarzan as George Washington Williams
- 2015 · The Hateful Eight as Major Marquis Warren
- 2015 · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- 2015 · The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as
- 2015 · Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter as Self
- 2015 · Kingsman: The Secret Service Revealed as Self
- 2015 · Avengers: Age of Ultron as Nick Fury
- 2015 · Kingsman: The Secret Service as Valentine
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Nick Fury
- 2014 · Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe as Self
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- 2014 · RoboCop as Pat Novak
- 2014 · Reasonable Doubt as Clinton Davis
- 2013 · Oldboy as Chaney
- 2013 · Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Nick Fury
- 2013 · Turbo as Whiplash (voice)
- 2013 · Circus Halligalli as
- 2013 · Quentin Tarantino: 20 Years of Filmmaking as Self
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Stephen
- 2012 · The Avengers as Nick Fury
- 2012 · Finding Your Roots as Self
- 2012 · The Samaritan as Foley
- 2012 · Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen as (archive footage)
- 2011 · The Jonathan Ross Show as Self
- 2011 · Captain America: The First Avenger as Nick Fury
- 2011 · Thor as Nick Fury (uncredited)
- 2011 · African Cats as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey as Fear (voice)
- 2010 · The Other Guys as P.K. Highsmith
- 2010 · Unthinkable as Henry Harold 'H' Humphries
- 2010 · Iron Man 2 as Nick Fury
- 2009 · Astro Boy as Zog (voice)
- 2009 · Inglourious Basterds as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2009 · Alan Carr: Chatty Man as Self
- 2008 · The Spirit as Octopus
- 2008 · Star Wars: The Clone Wars as Mace Windu (voice) (archive sound)
- 2008 · Star Wars: The Clone Wars as Mace Windu (voice)
- 2008 · Iron Man as Nick Fury (uncredited)
- 2008 · Jumper as Roland
- 2007 · Cleaner as Tom Cutler
- 2007 · 1408 as Gerald Olin
- 2007 · The Graham Norton Show as Self
- 2007 · Afro Samurai as Afro Samurai / Ninja Ninja (voice)
- 2006 · Black Snake Moan as Lazarus
- 2006 · Snakes on a Plane as Neville Flynn
- 2006 · Honor Deferred as Narrator
- 2005 · The Boondocks as
- 2005 · The Boondocks as Rummy (voice)
- 2005 · The Colbert Report as
- 2005 · Extras as Samuel L. Jackson
- 2005 · Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith as Mace Windu
- 2005 · xXx: State of the Union as Agent Augustus Gibbons
- 2005 · George Lucas: Creating an Empire as Presenter/Self
- 2005 · Coach Carter as Ken Carter
- 2005 · The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as An Officer of the Law
- 2005 · The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self
- 2004 · The Incredibles as Lucius Best / Frozone (voice)
- 2004 · In My Country as Langston Whitfield
- 2004 · Kill Bill: Vol. 2 as Rufus
- 2003 · The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- 2003 · S.W.A.T. as Sgt. Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson
- 2003 · Basic as Drill Sgt. SFC Nathan West
- 2003 · Real Time with Bill Maher as Self
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- 2002 · Pulp Fiction: The Facts as Self (archive footage)
- 2002 · xXx as Agent Augustus Gibbons
- 2002 · Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones as Mace Windu
- 2001 · The Proud Family as Joseph (voice)
- 2000 · Unbreakable as Elijah Price
- 2000 · Shaft as John Shaft
- 2000 · Rules of Engagement as Col. Terry L. Childers
- 1999 · Deep Blue Sea as Russell Franklin
- 1999 · Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace as Mace Windu
- 1998 · The Red Violin as Charles Morritz (Montréal)
- 1998 · TRL as
- 1998 · The Negotiator as Lt. Danny Roman
- 1998 · Out of Sight as Hejira Henry (uncredited)
- 1998 · Sphere as Dr. Harry Adams
- 1998 · Parkinson as Self
- 1997 · Jackie Brown as Ordell Robbie
- 1997 · The View as Self
- 1997 · The View as Self - Guest
- 1997 · One Eight Seven as Trevor Garfield
- 1997 · Leute heute as Self
- 1996 · The Long Kiss Goodnight as Mitch Henessey
- 1996 · A Time to Kill as Carl Lee Hailey
- 1996 · The Daily Show as Self
- 1996 · Hard Eight as Jimmy
- 1995 · The Frank Skinner Show as Self
- 1995 · Die Hard: With a Vengeance as Zeus Carver
- 1995 · Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child as The Mayor (voice)
- 1994 · Pulp Fiction as Jules Winnfield
- 1994 · Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker as Richard Greener
- 1993 · Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- 1993 · True Romance as Big Don
- 1993 · Jurassic Park as Arnold
- 1993 · Menace II Society as Tat Lawson
- 1993 · Amos & Andrew as Andrew Sterling
- 1993 · National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 as Wes Luger
- 1993 · Raw as
- 1992 · Ghostwriter as Reggie Jenkins
- 1992 · HBO First Look as
- 1992 · MTV Movie & TV Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1992 · Patriot Games as Lt. Cmdr. Robby Jackson
- 1992 · The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as
- 1992 · Juice as Trip
- 1991 · Jumpin' at the Boneyard as Mr. Simpson
- 1990 · Law & Order as Attorney Louis Taggert
- 1990 · GoodFellas as Stacks Edwards
- 1990 · The Exorcist III as Dream Blind Man
- 1989 · Making 'Do the Right Thing' as Self
- 1989 · Do the Right Thing as Mister Señor Love Daddy
- 1988 · LIVE with Kelly and Mark as
- 1988 · Coming to America as Hold-Up Man
- 1987 · The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd as Brother Elvis
- 1985 · Spenser: For Hire as
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Cameo (uncredited)
- 1971 · Great Performances as Self
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self - Presenter
- 1948 · Bambi as Self
- Future · Untitled J.J. Abrams Film as
- 2024 · The Piano Lesson: Legacy and a Vision as Self
- 2024 · The Piano Lesson as Doaker Charles
- 2024 · Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist as Frank Moten
- 2022 · Is That Black Enough for You?!? as Self
- 2021 · An Audience with Adele as Self
- 2021 · 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self
- 2021 · Marvel Studios' 2021 Disney+ Day Special as Nick Fury (archive footage)
- 2021 · Amend: The Fight for America as Self
- 2020 · Death to 2020 as Dash Bracket
- 2020 · Some Good News as Voice Over
- 2020 · The Last Full Measure as Takoda
- 2018 · Life Itself as Self
- 2018 · Quincy as Self
- 2017 · Miracle on 42nd Street as self
- 2017 · John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood as Self - Actor (archive footage)
- 2017 · I Am Not Your Negro as Narrator (voice)
- 2016 · Cell as Thomas 'Tom' McCourt
- 2015 · Chi-Raq as Dolmedes
- 2015 · Barely Lethal as Hardman
- 2015 · Big Game as US President William Alan Moore
- 2014 · Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee as Self
- 2014 · Kite as Lieutenant Karl Aker
- 2012 · Zambezia as Tendai (voice)
- 2011 · Arena as Logan
- 2011 · Prohibition as Reader (voice)
- 2011 · Dynamo: Magician Impossible as Self
- 2011 · The Sunset Limited as Black
- 2011 · On the Shoulders of Giants as
- 2011 · Return to Jurassic Park as Self
- 2010 · Heavy Rain as Himself
- 2009 · Afro Samurai: Resurrection as Afro / Ninja-Ninja (voice)
- 2009 · The Face is Familiar as Himself
- 2008 · Soul Men as Louis Hinds
- 2008 · Lakeview Terrace as Abel Turner
- 2008 · Critic as Self
- 2007 · The War as Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Resurrecting the Champ as Champ
- 2006 · Home of the Brave as William Marsh
- 2006 · The Henry Rollins Show as
- 2006 · Freedomland as Lorenzo Council
- 2005 · Iconoclasts as Self
- 2005 · The Man as Derrick Vann
- 2005 · Mr. Incredible and Pals as Frozone (commentary voice)
- 2005 · The Harlem Globetrotters: The Team That Changed the World as Self
- 2004 · Twisted as John Mills
- 2004 · America Beyond the Color Line as Self
- 2004 · Hollywood Legenden as Self
- 2003 · Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives as
- 2002 · Jackie Brown: How It Went Down as Self
- 2002 · BaadAsssss Cinema as Self
- 2002 · No Good Deed as Jack Friar
- 2002 · Changing Lanes as Doyle Gipson
- 2001 · The 51st State as Elmo McElroy
- 2001 · The Caveman's Valentine as Romulus
- 1999 · From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic as Narrator / Host
- 1996 · Trees Lounge as Wendell
- 1996 · The Great White Hype as Rev. Fred Sultan
- 1995 · Fluke as Rumbo (voice)
- 1995 · A Night to Die For as Self - Host
- 1995 · Kiss of Death as Calvin Hart
- 1995 · Losing Isaiah as Kadar Lewis
- 1994 · The New Age as Dale Deveaux
- 1994 · Fresh as Sam
- 1994 · Hail Caesar as Mailman
- 1994 · Against the Wall as Jamaal
- 1992 · White Sands as Greg Meeker
- 1991 · Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace as Everett Hatcher
- 1991 · Johnny Suede as B-Bop
- 1991 · Jungle Fever as Gator Purify
- 1990 · The Return of Superfly as Nate Cabot
- 1990 · Mo' Better Blues as Madlock
- 1990 · Betsy's Wedding as Taxi Dispatcher (Mickey)
- 1990 · Common Ground as Rev. Bob McClair
- 1990 · Def by Temptation as Minister Garth
- 1990 · A Shock to the System as Ulysses
- 1989 · Sea of Love as Black Guy
- 1989 · Dead Man Out as Calvin Fredricks
- 1988 · School Daze as Leeds
- 1987 · Magic Sticks as Bum
- 1981 · Ragtime as Gang Member No. 2
- 1980 · The Exterminator as Extra (uncredited)
- 1977 · The Displaced Person as Sulk
- 1952 · Today as Self
- Future · The Beast as
- 2025 · FireAid Benefit Concert as Self
- 2024 · American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special as Self
- 2022 · JANET JACKSON. as Self
- 2021 · Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend as Self (archive footage)
- 2020 · Beyond the Spotlight as
- 2020 · A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote as Self
- 2020 · Enslaved as Self
- 2020 · One World: Together at Home as Self
- 2017 · Unicorn Store as The Salesman
- 2017 · The Words That Built America as Self - Reader: Declaration of Independence
- 2013 · Everything Is Samuel L. Jackson's Fault as Self
- 2012 · The Avengers: A Visual Journey as Self
- 2012 · Meeting Evil as Richie
- 2010 · With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story as Self
- 2009 · Mother and Child as Paul
- 2008 · Gospel Hill as Paul Malcolm
- 2007 · Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story as Narrator
- 2006 · Farce of the Penguins as Narrator (voice)
- 2006 · Tarantino's Mind as Jules Winnfield / Rufus (archive footage)
- 2005 · My Date with Drew as Self (uncredited)
- 2004 · Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Introduction as Tenpenny (voice)
- 2004 · Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson as Jack Johnson (voice)
- 2003 · Working Shakespeare as
- 2002 · The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies as Self - Narrator
- 2001 · R2-D2: Beneath the Dome as Self
- 2000 · Any Given Wednesday as Willie Nutter
- 1999 · The Early Show as Self
- 1999 · Our Friend, Martin as Turner (voice)
- 1999 · Forever Hollywood as Self
- 1998 · Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's as Self
- 1997 · Eve's Bayou as Louis Batiste
- 1996 · The Journey of the African-American Athlete as Narrator
- 1992 · Fathers & Sons as Marshall
- 1991 · Strictly Business as Monroe
- 1987 · Eddie Murphy Raw as Eddie's Uncle
- 1987 · Uncle Tom's Cabin as George
- 1972 · Together for Days as Stan
- Future · NOLA King as Russell Lee Washington Jr.
- Future · Head Games as
- 2023 · Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Secret Invasion as Self - 'Nick Fury'
- 2023 · Samuel L. Jackson: Did I Stutter? as self
- 2022 · The Fix as Narrator (voice)
- 2017 · Creating a King: Summoning a God as Self
- 2017 · Smokey Robinson: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song as Host
- 2016 · Eating You Alive as Self
- 2015 · Star Wars: Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel as Self
- 2014 · Face of Unity as Self
- 2012 · Eddie Murphy: One Night Only as Self
- 2012 · Marvel Studios: Building a Cinematic Universe as Self
- 2012 · I Ain't Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac as Self
- 2011 · Young Jeezy: A Hustlerz Ambition as Narrator
- 2011 · Go the F**k to Sleep as Narrator (voice)
- 2010 · Under the Boardwalk: The Monopoly Story as Elmo McElroy (archive footage)
- 2010 · In the Land of the Free... as Narrator
- 2009 · Uneven Fairways as Narrator
- 2008 · Death2kuffar as Abu musab zarqawi
- 2006 · Mais Bastidores de Hollywood as Self
- 2006 · 50 Films to See Before You Die as Self
- 2005 · Coach Carter The Man Behind the Movie as Self
- 2002 · Middle School Confessions as Host
- 1990 · Spike & Co. Do It a-Cappella as The Janitor
- 1978 · The Trial of the Moke as Johnson Whittaker
- Future · Just Play Dead as Jack Wolfe
- 2006 · The N Word as Self
- 2005 · Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson as
- 2001 · The 100 Greatest Films as Self
- 2001 · Comic Books & Superheroes as Self
- 2000 · Opening the Tombs of the Golden Mummies: Live as
- 2000 · Shaft: Still the Man as Self
- 1998 · All Saints: The Video as Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1994 · The Search for One-eye Jimmy as Colonel Ron
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- Future · The Honest Liar as Nick DeFranco
- 2004 · John Travolta: The Inside Story as Self
- Future · St. Vincent as
- 1996 · Shaquille O'Neal: Larger than Life as Narrator (voice)
- Future · Morris Stokes as Morris Stokes
- Future · Man of War as