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
- 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
- 2022 · The Jennifer Hudson Show as
- 2022 · Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank as Jimbo (voice)
- 2022 · Spider-Man: All Roads Lead to No Way Home as Self (archive footage)
- 2022 · The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey as Ptolemy Grey
- 2022 · JANET JACKSON. as Self
- 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 · Amend: The Fight for America as Self
- 2021 · Marvel Studios Legends as Nick Fury (archive footage)
- 2020 · Death to 2020 as Dash Bracket
- 2020 · Staged as Sam
- 2020 · Some Good News as Voice Over
- 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 · 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 · Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children as Barron
- 2016 · Cell as Thomas 'Tom' McCourt
- 2016 · The Legend of Tarzan as George Washington Williams
- 2015 · The Hateful Eight as Major Marquis Warren
- 2015 · Chi-Raq as Dolmedes
- 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 · Barely Lethal as Hardman
- 2015 · Avengers: Age of Ultron as Nick Fury
- 2015 · Big Game as US President William Alan Moore
- 2014 · Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self
- 2014 · Kingsman: The Secret Service as Valentine
- 2014 · Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Nick Fury
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as
- 2014 · The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self
- 2014 · RoboCop as Pat Novak
- 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
- 2012 · Django Unchained as Stephen
- 2012 · Zambezia as Tendai (voice)
- 2012 · The Avengers as Nick Fury
- 2012 · Finding Your Roots as Self
- 2012 · Honest Trailers as Mace Windu (archive footage)
- 2012 · Honest Trailers as Nick Fury (archive footage)
- 2011 · Prohibition as Reader (voice)
- 2011 · The Jonathan Ross Show as Self
- 2011 · Captain America: The First Avenger as Nick Fury
- 2011 · Dynamo: Magician Impossible as Self
- 2011 · Thor as Nick Fury (uncredited)
- 2011 · Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair as Rufus
- 2010 · The Other Guys as P.K. Highsmith
- 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 · Star Wars: The Clone Wars as Mace Windu (voice) (archive sound)
- 2008 · Lakeview Terrace as Abel Turner
- 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 · Snakes on a Plane as Neville Flynn
- 2006 · The Henry Rollins Show as
- 2005 · Iconoclasts as Self
- 2005 · The Boondocks as
- 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 · 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 · 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 West
- 2003 · Real Time with Bill Maher as Himself
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- 2002 · xXx as Agent Augustus Gibbons
- 2002 · Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones as Mace Windu
- 2002 · Changing Lanes as Doyle Gipson
- 2001 · The Proud Family as Joseph (voice)
- 2000 · Unbreakable as Elijah Price
- 2000 · Shaft as John Shaft
- 1999 · The Early Show as Self
- 1999 · Deep Blue Sea as Russell Franklin
- 1999 · Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace as Mace Windu
- 1998 · TRL as
- 1998 · The Red Violin as Charles Morritz (Montréal)
- 1998 · The Negotiator as Lt. Danny Roman
- 1998 · Out of Sight as Hejirah Henry (uncredited)
- 1998 · AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies as Self
- 1998 · Sphere as Dr. Harry Adams
- 1997 · Jackie Brown as Ordell Robbie
- 1997 · Eve's Bayou as Louis Batiste
- 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
- 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
- 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 · WWE 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 · Jungle Fever as Gator Purify
- 1990 · Law & Order as Attorney Louis Taggert
- 1990 · GoodFellas as Stacks Edwards
- 1990 · The Exorcist III as Dream Blind Man (uncredited)
- 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
- Future · Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist as Frank Moten
- 2023 · Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Secret Invasion as Self - 'Nick Fury'
- 2022 · Is That Black Enough for You?!? as Self
- 2022 · The Fix as Narrator (voice)
- 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)
- 2020 · Beyond the Spotlight as
- 2020 · A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote as Self
- 2020 · #UNFIT: The Psychology of Donald Trump as Self (archive footage)
- 2020 · Enslaved as Self
- 2017 · John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood as Self - Actor (archive footage)
- 2016 · Eating You Alive as Self
- 2016 · BET Presents Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration as Self
- 2015 · Star Wars: Evolution of the Lightsaber Duel as Self
- 2014 · Face of Unity as Self
- 2012 · Quentin Tarantino: 20 Years of Filmmaking as Self
- 2012 · I Ain't Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac as Self
- 2010 · Heavy Rain as
- 2009 · The Face Is Familiar as Himself
- 2008 · Crítico as Self
- 2006 · Tarantino's Mind as Jules Winnfield / Rufus (archive footage)
- 2005 · The Harlem Globetrotters: The Team That Changed the World as Self
- 2004 · Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Introduction as Officer Frank Tenpenny (voice) (uncredited)
- 2004 · Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson as Jack Johnson (voice)
- 2004 · John Travolta: The Inside Story 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 · The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies as Self - Narrator
- 2001 · R2-D2: Beneath the Dome as Self
- 2000 · Shaft: Still the Man as Self
- 1999 · From Star Wars to Star Wars: The Story of Industrial Light & Magic as Narrator, Host
- 1999 · Our Friend, Martin as Turner (voice)
- 1999 · Forever Hollywood as Self
- 1998 · Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's as Self
- 1996 · The Search for One-eye Jimmy as Colonel Ron
- 1996 · The Journey of the African-American Athlete as Narrator
- 1995 · A Night to Die For as Himself/Host
- 1992 · Fathers and Sons as Marshall
- 1991 · Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace as Everett Hatcher
- 1990 · Spike Lee & Company: Do It a Cappella as The Janitor
- 1989 · Making 'Do the Right Thing' as Self
- 1978 · The Trial of the Moke as Johnson Whittaker
- 1977 · The Displaced Person as Sulk
- Future · The Piano Lesson as Doaker Charles
- Future · The Beast as President
- 2020 · Enslaved with Samuel L Jackson as Presenter
- 2020 · The Match: Champions for Charity as Commentator
- 2020 · One World: Together at Home as Self
- 2020 · The Last Full Measure as Takoda
- 2019 · QT8: The First Eight as Self (uncredited)
- 2018 · The Match: Tiger vs. Phil as Commentator
- 2018 · Life Itself as Self
- 2018 · Quincy as Self
- 2017 · Unicorn Store as The Salesman
- 2017 · Creating a King: Summoning a God as Self
- 2017 · The Words That Built America as Reader - Declaration of Independence
- 2017 · Smokey Robinson: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song as Host
- 2017 · I Am Not Your Negro as Narrator (voice)
- 2015 · Kingsman: The Secret Service Revealed as Self
- 2014 · Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee as Self
- 2014 · Kite as Lieutenant Karl Aker
- 2014 · Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe as Self
- 2014 · Reasonable Doubt as Clinton Davis
- 2013 · Djesus Uncrossed (Director's Cut) as Jay Pharoah
- 2013 · Everything Is Samuel L. Jackson's Fault as Self
- 2012 · Eddie Murphy: One Night Only as Self
- 2012 · The Avengers: A Visual Journey as Self
- 2012 · The Samaritan as Foley
- 2012 · Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen as (archive footage)
- 2012 · Meeting Evil as Richie
- 2011 · Young Jeezy: A Hustlerz Ambition as Narrator
- 2011 · Arena as Logan
- 2011 · Go the F**k to Sleep as Narrator (voice)
- 2011 · African Cats as Narrator (voice)
- 2011 · The Sunset Limited as Black
- 2011 · On the Shoulders of Giants as
- 2011 · Return to Jurassic Park as Self
- 2010 · Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey as Fear (voice)
- 2010 · With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story as Self
- 2010 · Unthinkable as Henry Harold 'H' Humphries
- 2010 · In the Land of the Free... as Narrator
- 2009 · Mother and Child as Paul
- 2009 · Afro Samurai: Resurrection as Afro / Ninja-Ninja (voice)
- 2009 · Uneven Fairways as Narrator
- 2008 · The Spirit as Octopus
- 2008 · Soul Men as Louis Hinds
- 2008 · The War as Narrator
- 2008 · Gospel Hill as Paul Malcolm
- 2007 · Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story as Narrator
- 2007 · Farce of the Penguins as Narrator (voice)
- 2007 · Resurrecting the Champ as Champ
- 2006 · Black Snake Moan as Lazarus
- 2006 · Home of the Brave as William Marsh
- 2006 · Mais Bastidores de Hollywood as Self
- 2006 · 50 Films to See Before You Die as Self
- 2006 · Freedomland as Lorenzo Council
- 2006 · Honor Deferred as Narrator
- 2006 · The N Word as Himself
- 2005 · The Man as Derrick Vann
- 2005 · My Date with Drew as Self (uncredited)
- 2005 · Coach Carter The Man Behind the Movie as Self
- 2005 · Mr. Incredible and Pals as Frozone (commentary voice)
- 2005 · George Lucas: Creating an Empire as Presenter/Self
- 2005 · Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson as
- 2004 · In My Country as Langston Whitfield
- 2004 · Twisted as John Mills
- 2004 · America Beyond the Color Line as Self
- 2002 · No Good Deed as Jack Friar
- 2002 · Middle School Confessions as Host
- 2001 · The 51st State as Elmo McElroy
- 2001 · The 100 Greatest Films as Self
- 2001 · Comic Books & Superheroes as Self
- 2001 · The Caveman's Valentine as Romulus
- 2000 · Rules of Engagement as Col. Terry L. Childers
- 2000 · Any Given Wednesday as Willie Nutter
- 1997 · Hard Eight as Jimmy
- 1994 · Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker as Richard Greener
- 1991 · Jumpin' at the Boneyard as Mr. Simpson
- Future · Unholy Trinity as St. Christopher
- 1990 · Common Ground as Rev. Bob McClair
- 1989 · Dead Man Out as Calvin Fredricks
- Future · Head Games as
- Future · Last Meals as Walter
- Future · Afterburn as
- 1996 · Shaquille O'Neal: Larger than Life as Narrator (voice)
- 1996 · Trees Lounge as Wendell
- 1996 · The Great White Hype as Rev. Fred Sultan
- 1995 · Fluke as Rumbo (voice)
- 1995 · Kiss of Death as Calvin Hart
- 1995 · Losing Isaiah as Kadar Lewis
- 1994 · The New Age as Dale Deveaux
- 1994 · Inside the Actors Studio as Self
- 1994 · Fresh as Sam
- 1994 · Hail Caesar as Mailman
- 1994 · Against the Wall as Jamaal
- 1993 · Amos & Andrew as Andrew Sterling
- 1993 · National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 as Wes Luger
- 1992 · White Sands as Greg Meeker
- 1991 · Strictly Business as Monroe
- 1991 · Johnny Suede as B-Bop
- 1990 · The Return of Superfly as Nate Cabot
- 1990 · Mo' Better Blues as Madlock
- 1990 · Betsy's Wedding as Taxi Dispatcher (Mickey)
- 1990 · A Shock to the System as Ulysses
- 1990 · Def by Temptation as Minister Garth
- 1989 · Sea of Love as Black Guy
- 1988 · School Daze as Leeds
- 1987 · Eddie Murphy Raw as Eddie's Uncle
- 1987 · Uncle Tom's Cabin as George
- 1987 · Magic Sticks as Bum
- 1981 · Ragtime as Gang Member No. 2
- 1980 · The Exterminator as Extra (uncredited)
- 1972 · Together for Days as Stan
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- 1952 · Today as Self
- 1948 · Bambi Awards as Self