Samuel L. Jackson Biography, Career, Net Worth, And Other Interesting Facts - Celebily (2024)

Samuel L. Jackson is a famous American actor born on December 21, 1948. You’ve probably seen him in a bunch of movies because he’s super popular. The movies he’s been in have made more money than any other actor’s movies in history – over $27 billion worldwide!

In 2022, he got this special award from the Academy for being such a big deal in the movie world. They called him a cultural icon, which means he’s really important and lots of people know who he is.

Jackson started acting in plays back in the 1980s. He did plays like A Soldier’s Play and The Piano Lesson. He’s also been on Broadway a few times, including in a play where he played Martin Luther King Jr. That’s pretty cool, right?

But you probably know him best from his movies. He’s been in tons of them! Like Pulp Fiction – that’s the one where he played Jules Winnfield and everyone loved his character. He’s also been in a bunch of other Quentin Tarantino movies, like Jackie Brown and Django Unchained.

And who can forget his roles in big franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel movies? He was Mace Windu in Star Wars and Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plus, he’s done voice acting for animated movies like The Incredibles.

Jackson’s been in so many movies, that it’s hard to keep track! He’s been in action movies, dramas, comedies – you name it. Some of his other notable films include Die Hard with a Vengeance, Snakes on a Plane, and Kingsman: The Secret Service. If there’s a blockbuster movie, chances are Samuel L. Jackson has been in it!

Samuel L. Jackson’s Early Life and Education

Samuel Leroy Jackson was born in Washington, D.C., on December 21, 1948. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, mostly raised by his mom Elizabeth Harriett (née Montgomery), who worked in a factory and later at a mental institution. His dad Roy Henry Jackson wasn’t around much and struggled with alcoholism, passing away when Samuel was young.

Despite facing some tough times Samuel found solace in music playing various instruments in his school orchestra. He even had a stutter as a kid but found ways to cope with it, like using certain words to help him talk more smoothly.

Originally, Samuel L. Jackson wanted to study marine biology but after getting involved in acting at Morehouse College in Atlanta he changed his major. He co-founded a theater group there before graduating in 1972.

Samuel was deeply affected by the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. He attended King’s funeral and participated in protests for equal rights. He even took part in a protest at Morehouse College, which got him into some trouble, but he eventually graduated and pursued acting.

During a break from college, Samuel worked as a social worker in Los Angeles. He was also involved with activists like Stokely Carmichael and H. Rap Brown in the Black Power movement but his mom worried for his safety and sent him to Los Angeles.

Despite rumors, Samuel has denied being a member of the Black Panther Party in interviews. He’s had a fascinating journey from growing up in Tennessee to becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors.

Career

1972–1987: Early roles and theatre work

Samuel L. Jackson started his college journey at Morehouse College, majoring in marine biology. However, he switched to architecture before finally deciding to pursue drama after a public speaking class and a role in The Threepenny Opera. He began his acting career on stage, performing in plays like Home and A Soldier’s Play, which inspired the 1984 movie A Soldier’s Story.

Jackson then appeared in several TV films and made his movie debut in the 1972 independent film Together for Days. In 1976, he moved from Atlanta to New York City, where he spent the next ten years performing in stage plays, including the first shows of The Piano Lesson and Two Trains Running at the Yale Repertory Theater. During this time, he worked as an overnight security guard at the Manhattan Plaza apartment complex to support himself while auditioning. Unfortunately, Jackson struggled with alcohol and cocaine addictions, which stopped him from continuing with the two plays to Broadway. His roles were taken over by actors Charles S. Dutton and Anthony Chisholm.

1988–1993: Rise to prominence

After being in a play called A Soldier’s Play in 1981, Samuel L. Jackson met director, Spike Lee. Lee gave him small roles in movies like School Daze (1988) and Do the Right Thing (1989). Jackson also spent three years standing in for Bill Cosby on The Cosby Show. While starting in films like Coming to America (1988), he got guidance from Morgan Freeman.

In 1990, he had a small part in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas as a real-life Mafia guy named Stacks Edwards. Jackson had struggled with heroin but then turned to cocaine. His family helped him get into a rehab center in New York. After rehab, he played a crack cocaine addict in Jungle Fever, which he found healing. His performance was so good that he got a special award at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.

After Jungle Fever, Jackson did comedies like Strictly Business and dramas like Juice and Patriot Games. He starred in National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1 and Amos & Andrew. In 1993, he worked with director Steven Spielberg in Jurassic Park.

1994–1998: Career breakthrough

Samuel L. Jackson’s big break came with his role as Jules Winnfield in the iconic movie Pulp Fiction. Quentin Tarantino wrote the part with Jackson in mind, which made him feel grateful and excited. Critics loved his performance, calling him the standout of the film. He even got nominated for an Oscar!

After Pulp Fiction, Jackson was flooded with scripts with everyone hoping to recreate the magic of his Jules character. But not all his movies were hits. Some, like Kiss of Death and The Great White Hype, didn’t do well at all. However, he bounced back with hits like Die Hard with a Vengeance and A Time to Kill.

His success continued with movies like 187, where he played a teacher, and Eve’s Bayou, where he also served as an executive producer. He teamed up with Tarantino again for Jackie Brown, earning more praise. Then, he worked with big names like Sharon Stone and Kevin Spacey in Sphere and The Negotiator.

In 1999, he tackled the sea thriller Deep Blue Sea and joined the Star Wars universe as Mace Windu. Interestingly, he didn’t even know he was playing Windu until he got fitted for his costume! But he was thrilled to be part of such an iconic series.

1999–2007: Established actor

On June 13, 2000, Samuel L. Jackson got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Then he started a bunch of new movies. In one, he’s a Marine on trial. In another, he’s in a spooky story with Bruce Willis. He also acted in a new version of the movie Shaft. Years later, he played the same characters again. He was in a murder mystery called The Caveman’s Valentine in 2001. In 2002, he was in a movie about a dad fighting for his kids and a Star Wars film. He suggested his character have a special purple lightsaber. After that, he played a spy in XXX and a strange drug dealer in The 51st State.

In 2003, he acted in a movie with John Travolta and then in a TV show with Colin Farrell. He even had a song named after him in a movie soundtrack! He also did a voiceover for a documentary. In 2004, he starred in a thriller called Twisted, but it didn’t do well. But he was awesome in The Incredibles, where he voiced a superhero. That movie was a hit! He also had a quick part in another movie by Quentin Tarantino.

In 2005, Samuel L. Jackson was in Coach Carter, a movie about a coach who cares more about his players’ education than basketball. Some people liked the movie, others didn’t, but everyone thought Jackson was great. He was in two more XXX and Star Wars movies that year, plus The Man. He got an award for acting in November.

In 2006, he got a special ceremony in Hollywood. He said he picks roles that are fun and different. He was in Freedomland and Snakes on a Plane that year. He only picked Snakes on a Plane because of its cool title. He even appeared in a music video to promote it. He won an award in Germany too. Later, he acted in Home of the Brave.

In 2007, he did the voiceover for a funny penguin movie and acted in Black Snake Moan and 1408. He also played a boxer in Resurrecting the Champ. In 2008, he did a voiceover for a Star Wars movie and acted in Lakeview Terrace, where he played a mean cop. He also starred in Soul Men with Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes.

2008–2019: Career Expansion

In 2008, Samuel L. Jackson played the bad guy in a movie called The Spirit. It didn’t do well with critics or at the box office. In 2009, he worked with Quentin Tarantino again, doing the voiceover for parts of a World War II movie called Inglourious Basterds.

In 2010, he was in a serious movie called Mother and Child and also played a guy trying to find some nuclear weapons in a movie called Unthinkable. He also played a cop in a funny movie called The Other Guys and acted in a film with Tommy Lee Jones based on a play called The Sunset Limited.

Samuel L. Jackson has been in lots of movies with famous rappers. Some examples are Tupac Shakur in Juice, Queen Latifah in Juice, Sphere, and Jungle Fever, LL Cool J in Deep Blue Sea and S.W.A.T., Busta Rhymes in Shaft, Eve in xXx, Ice Cube and Xzibit in xXx: State of the Union, David Banner in Black Snake Moan, and 50 Cent in Home of the Brave. He’s also been in five movies with Bruce Willis and they were supposed to do another one together called Black Water Transit.

In 2002, Jackson let Marvel Comics make a comic book character look like him and then he appeared as that character in a surprise scene after the credits of Iron Man in 2008. After that, he signed a contract to be in nine more Marvel movies, including Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and The Avengers. He played the same character in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron. He said in 2015 that he only had two movies left on his Marvel contract. He was in Infinity War and Endgame in 2018 and 2019, and he played a younger version of his Marvel character in Captain Marvel with Brie Larson.

Some other recent movies he’s been in include Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained in 2012, The Hateful Eight in 2015, and Kong: Skull Island in 2017. In 2019, he played the same character from Unbreakable in the movie Glass, and he played the same character from Shaft in the movie Shaft. He was also in Unicorn Store with Brie Larson and had a big role in Spider-Man: Far From Home as his Marvel character. He also made a quick appearance as his Marvel character in a TV show called Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in 2013 and 2014.

2020–2023: Return to theatre

In 2020, Samuel L. Jackson was on a TV show called Enslaved with journalist Afua Hirsch. In 2021, he acted in a movie called Spiral: From the Book of Saw with Chris Rock. After not being on stage for 11 years, he came back to Broadway in a play called The Piano Lesson. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his acting in it. His wife directed the play. He played Nick Fury in a Disney+ show called Secret Invasion and will be in the sequel to Captain Marvel called The Marvels. In 2024, he had a small part in a funny spy movie called Argylle.

He’s working on some new projects too. He’s making a movie based on Afro-Samurai and will act in a remake of The Last Dragon. He’s also done filming for a movie called Damaged and will be in a movie called Unholy Trinity with Pierce Brosnan. He’s starting to film a new movie called Last Meals in late November 2023.

Net Worth

Samuel L. Jackson’s Net Worth is estimated to be $250 Million as of 2024, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Other appearances

Samuel L. Jackson is a famous actor known for using his voice in many roles. You might recognize him as the voice of Whiplash in the movie Turbo from 2013, the main character in Afro Samurai from 2007, and Officer Frank Tenpenny in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas from 2004. He’s also the narrator for the documentary I Am Not Your Negro from 2016.

Besides movies, Jackson has been in TV shows, video games, music videos, and audiobooks. He had a small part in a Public Enemy music video and voiced characters in various TV shows, like Afro Samurai and The Boondocks. He even appeared in an episode of the sitcom Extras as himself.

Samuel L. Jackson has hosted several awards shows, including the MTV Movie Awards and the ESPYs. He’s known for his deep voice, which led to him voicing God in an audiobook version of the New Testament. He’s also recorded audiobooks like Go the F**k to Sleep.

In commercials, you might have seen Jackson promoting different products, like Capital One credit cards and Sky UK’s broadband service. He’s even played Nick Fury in ads for Captain America: The Winter Soldier and a video game called Marvel Snap.

Outside of acting, Jackson is also passionate about social justice. He released a song called I Can’t Breathe with other artists, addressing issues of violence in America, inspired by the last words of Eric Garner.

Personal life

In 1980, Samuel L. Jackson married LaTanya Richardson an actress and producer. They met while they were both students at Morehouse College. They have a daughter named Zoe, who was born in 1982. In 2009, they started a charity to help support education.

Samuel L. Jackson enjoys watching his movies in theaters. He once wished he could watch the plays he acted in while he was still performing them. He also likes collecting action figures of the characters he plays in his movies, like Jules Winnfield, Shaft, Mace Windu, and Frozone.

Even though Samuel L. Jackson is bald he sometimes wears wigs in his movies. He decided to shave his head when he started losing his hair. He didn’t want to have a comb-over so he chose to shave it. His first bald role was in a movie called The Great White Hype. He usually gets to pick his hairstyles for the characters he plays.

Samuel L. Jackson has a special part in his contracts that lets him play golf while he’s filming movies. He’s played in charity golf tournaments to help raise money for kids in South Africa. He’s also a big fan of basketball, supporting teams like the Toronto Raptors and the Harlem Globetrotters. He’s been a fan of the English football team Liverpool FC since he filmed a movie in Liverpool. He also supports the Irish football team Bohemian FC.

During the 2008 Democratic Primary, Samuel L. Jackson campaigned for Barack Obama in Texas. He said Obama represented everything he was told he couldn’t be when he was growing up. He voted for Obama because he was black, and he believes that’s why other people vote for candidates who look like them. He’s been vocal about his political views, even comparing one of his movie characters to a real-life Supreme Court Justice.

In 2013, Samuel L. Jackson teamed up with Prizeo to raise money to fight Alzheimer’s disease. He also started following a vegan diet for health reasons in 2013, hoping to live a longer life. He even lost weight because of the diet. Although he mostly stopped following the diet by 2017, he still thinks it’s a good idea.

Samuel L. Jackson cares about men’s health too. He launched a campaign called “One for the Boys” to raise awareness about testicular cancer and encourage men to get checked regularly.

In 2019, Samuel L. Jackson was granted citizenship in Gabon after a DNA test linked him to the country’s Benga ethnic group. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he encouraged people to wear face masks and donate blood if they had recovered from the virus. He also appeared on a talk show to spread awareness about social distancing.

Box-office performance

In the 1990s, a company called A.C. Neilson E.C.I. kept track of how much money movies made. They found out that Samuel L. Jackson appeared in more movies that made a lot of money in the United States than any other actor. By 2011, the movies where Jackson was one of the main actors or played an important supporting role had made between $2.81 billion and $4.91 billion at the box office in North America. This made him the seventh-highest-earning main actor and the second-highest-earning actor overall, second only to Frank Welker, who mostly does voice acting.

In 2009, The Guinness World Records said that Jackson was the actor who made the most money from his movies. They calculated that he made $7.42 billion from 68 movies. Now, as of 2022, data from the Golden Globes shows that he’s made over $27 billion from 152 movies. This makes him the actor who’s made the most money from his movies and the second-highest-earning person in movies overall, after Stan Lee, who’s famous for his cameo appearances.

Awards

During his career, Samuel L. Jackson has won several big awards for his acting in movies. At the Cannes Film Festival in 1991, he got the Best Actor award for his role in Jungle Fever. Then, in 1994, he won the BAFTA Award for his supporting role in Pulp Fiction and also got the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead. He was even nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for that role.

In 1997, at the Berlin International Film Festival, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor for his part in Jackie Brown. In 2021, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave him an Honorary Award for being a cultural icon whose work has been loved by people all over the world. At the 12th Annual Governors Awards, his friend Denzel Washington gave him his Oscar.