Samuel L. Jackson
Highest Rated: 100% Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022)
Lowest Rated: 0% Kite (2014)
Birthday: Dec 21, 1948
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., USA
Although starting out with small roles and trouble with the law, Samuel L. Jackson has since become a highly sought after actor and film producer. Born in Washington, D.C.,he was a student activist at Morehouse College and served as an usher at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His protests led to his being arrested and convicted of unlawful confinement. After finishing college, he moved to New York where his early stage and television career was stunted by substance abuse issues. After a number of small parts on television in the early '80s, Jackson's career finally began to find true traction thanks to his relationship with Spike Lee. The director cast him in parts in "School Daze" (1988),"Do the Right Thing" (1989), and "Mo' Better Blues" (1990). Along with small, but memorable roles, in "Coming to America" (1988) and Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" (1990), his profile in the industry began increasing. His true breakout came due to another collaboration with Lee. After having just completed a rehabilitation program for cocaine and heroin addiction, Jackson garnered critical raves as the drug-addicted brother of Wesley Snipes' architect in "Jungle Fever" (1991). His film roles increased steadily, including parts in Steven Spielberg's blockbuster "Jurassic Park" (1993) and opposite Harrison Ford in the thriller "Patriot Games" (1992). It was a relationship with another director, however, that put the actor on the map for good. Having worked with Quentin Tarantino on "True Romance" (1993), he was cast in the filmmaker's seminal "Pulp Fiction" (1994). Playing the Scripture-quoting hitman Jules, alongside John Travolta, the actor was swept up in a pop culture phenomenon. From then on, Jackson became an in-demand film actor. His high profile roles included joining Bruce Willis for "Die Hard With a Vengeance" (1995) and reteaming with Tarantino for "Jackie Brown" (1997). He also joined sci-fi lore by playing Jedi Master Mace Windu in George Lucas's "Star Wars" prequels, "The Phantom Menace" (1999), "Attack of the Clones" (2002), and "Revenge of the Sith" (2005). M. Night Shyamalan paired the actor once again with Willis for the supernatural thriller "Unbreakable" (2000) - a film that would eventually get a sequel 19 years later starring the pair again in "Glass" (2019). He later became one of the mainstays of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his role as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury. Beginning in "Iron Man" (2008) and continuing through the international blockbusters of "The Avengers" (2012) series and appearing as a younger version of the character in "Captain Marvel" (2019), Jackson played the hero to the point of becoming synonymous with the character. The actor continued his relationship with Tarantino as well, appearing in the director's "Django Unchained" (2012) and "The Hateful Eight" (2015). Jackson's standing as an action star continued deep into his career as well, playing John Shaft in both "Shaft" (2000) and the sequel "Shaft" (2019), and teaming with Ryan Reynolds for "The Hitman's Bodyguard" (2017) and "The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard" (2020).
Photos
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Piano Lesson | Doaker Charles (Character) | - | 2025 |
36% |
|
The Garfield Movie | Vic (Voice) | $91.7M | 2024 |
25% |
|
Damaged | Dan Lawson (Character) | - | 2024 |
33% |
|
Argylle | Unknown (Character) | $45.2M | 2024 |
62% |
|
The Marvels | Nick Fury (Character) | $84.5M | 2023 |
61% |
|
The Kill Room | Gordon (Character) | $82.9K | 2023 |
100% |
|
Is That Black Enough for You?!? | Self | - | 2022 |
54% |
|
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank | Jimbo (Voice) | $17.8M | 2022 |
63% |
|
The Protégé | Moody (Character) | $7.4M | 2021 |
26% |
|
The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard | Darius Kincaid (Character) | $38.0M | 2021 |
37% |
|
Spiral: From the Book of Saw | Marcus Banks (Character) | $23.2M | 2021 |
45% |
|
Death to 2020 | Unknown (Character) | - | 2020 |
79% |
|
The Banker |
Joe Morris (Character), Executive Producer |
- | 2020 |
61% |
|
The Last Full Measure | Takoda (Character) | $2.9M | 2019 |
92% |
|
QT8: The First Eight | Self | - | 2019 |
91% |
|
Spider-Man: Far From Home | Nick Fury (Character) | $390.9M | 2019 |
34% |
|
Shaft | John Shaft (Character) | $21.4M | 2019 |
79% |
|
Captain Marvel | Nick Fury (Character) | $426.8M | 2019 |
37% |
|
Glass |
Elijah Price/ |
$111.0M | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rent-an-Elf | Writer | - | 2018 |
13% |
|
Life Itself | Self | $4.1M | 2018 |
93% |
|
Incredibles 2 |
Lucius Best/ |
$608.6M | 2018 |
66% |
|
Unicorn Store | The Salesman (Character) | - | 2017 |
43% |
|
The Hitman's Bodyguard | Darius Kincaid (Character) | $75.4M | 2017 |
75% |
|
Kong: Skull Island | Preston Packard (Character) | $168.0M | 2017 |
45% |
|
xXx: Return of Xander Cage | Augustus Gibbons (Character) | $44.9M | 2017 |
No Score Yet |
|
Eating You Alive | Self | - | 2016 |
99% |
|
I am not your negro | Narrator | $7.1M | 2016 |
64% |
|
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children | Barron (Character) | $87.2M | 2016 |
11% |
|
Cell | Tom McCourt (Character) | - | 2016 |
35% |
|
The Legend of Tarzan | George Washington Williams (Character) | $126.6M | 2016 |
75% |
|
The Hateful Eight | Major Marquis Warren (Character) | $54.1M | 2015 |
82% |
|
Chi-Raq | Dolmedes (Character) | $2.6M | 2015 |
26% |
|
Barely Lethal | Hardman (Character) | - | 2015 |
76% |
|
Avengers: Age of Ultron | Nick Fury (Character) | $459.0M | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Face of Unity | Unknown (Character) | - | 2014 |
76% |
|
Big Game | U.S. President William Alan Moore (Character) | $16.9K | 2014 |
75% |
|
Kingsman: The Secret Service | Richmond Valentine (Character) | $128.2M | 2014 |
0% |
|
Kite | Karl Aker (Character) | - | 2014 |
90% |
|
Captain America: The Winter Soldier | Nick Fury (Character) | $259.7M | 2014 |
49% |
|
RoboCop | Pat Novak (Character) | $58.6M | 2014 |
33% |
|
Reasonable Doubt | Clinton Davis (Character) | - | 2014 |
39% |
|
Oldboy | Chaney (Character) | $2.2M | 2013 |
67% |
|
Turbo | Whiplash (Voice) | $83.0M | 2013 |
25% |
|
Zambezia | Tendai (Voice) | - | 2012 |
87% |
|
Django Unchained | Stephen (Character) | $162.8M | 2012 |
26% |
|
The Samaritan |
Foley (Character), Executive Producer |
$1.7K | 2012 |
91% |
|
Marvel's the Avengers | Nick Fury (Character) | - | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Zambezia 3D | Tendai (Voice) | - | 2012 |
13% |
|
Meeting Evil | Richie (Character) | $181 | 2011 |
68% |
|
The Sunset Limited | Black (Character) | - | 2011 |
No Score Yet |
|
Arena | Logan (Character) | - | 2011 |
80% |
|
Captain America: The First Avenger | Nick Fury (Character) | $176.6M | 2011 |
74% |
|
African Cats | Narrator | $15.4M | 2011 |
79% |
|
The Other Guys | P.K. Highsmith (Character) | $119.2M | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
Unthinkable | Henry Harold "H" Humphries (Character) | - | 2010 |
72% |
|
Iron Man 2 | Nick Fury (Character) | $312.1M | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
In the Land of the Free... | Unknown (Character) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey | Fear (Voice) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
Afro Samurai: Resurrection |
Afro Samurai / Executive Producer |
- | 2009 |
79% |
|
Mother and Child | Paul (Character) | $1.1M | 2009 |
51% |
|
Astro Boy | Zog (Voice) | $19.5M | 2009 |
33% |
|
Gospel Hill | Paul Malcolm (Character) | - | 2008 |
14% |
|
The Spirit | The Octopus (Character) | $19.8M | 2008 |
45% |
|
Soul Men | Louis (Character) | $12.1M | 2008 |
45% |
|
Lakeview Terrace | Abel Turner (Character) | $39.3M | 2008 |
19% |
|
Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Mace Windu (Voice) | $456.8K | 2008 |
15% |
|
Jumper | Roland (Character) | $80.2M | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
Black Magic | Unknown (Character) | - | 2008 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Afro Samurai |
Afro Samurai/ Executive Producer |
- | 2007 |
17% |
|
Cleaner |
Tom Cutler (Character), Producer |
- | 2007 |
61% |
|
Resurrecting the Champ | Champ (Character) | $3.2M | 2007 |
80% |
|
1408 | Mr. Olin (Character) | $72.0M | 2007 |
66% |
|
Black Snake Moan | Lazarus (Character) | $9.4M | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
Farce of the Penguins | Narrator | - | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story | Narrator | - | 2007 |
23% |
|
Home of the Brave | Will Marsh (Character) | $40.8K | 2006 |
69% |
|
Snakes on a Plane | Nelville Flynn (Character) | $34.0M | 2006 |
24% |
|
Freedomland | Lorenzo Council (Character) | $12.5M | 2006 |
12% |
|
The Man | Vann (Character) | $8.3M | 2005 |
79% |
|
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith | Mace Windu (Character) | $380.3M | 2005 |
17% |
|
XXX: State of the Union | Agent Augustus Gibbons (Character) | $26.0M | 2005 |
64% |
|
Coach Carter | Coach Ken Carter (Character) | $67.3M | 2005 |
23% |
|
Country of My Skull | Langston Whitfield (Character) | $163.5K | 2004 |
97% |
|
The Incredibles |
Lucius Best/ |
$261.4M | 2004 |
2% |
|
Twisted | Police Commissioner John Mills (Character) | $25.2M | 2004 |
84% |
|
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 | Rufus (Character) | $66.2M | 2004 |
100% |
|
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson | Unknown (Character) | - | 2004 |
48% |
|
S.W.A.T. | Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson (Character) | $116.6M | 2003 |
21% |
|
Basic | Sgt. Nathan West (Character) | $26.5M | 2003 |
25% |
|
The House on Turk Street | Jack Friar (Character) | - | 2002 |
48% |
|
XXX | Agent Augustus Gibbons (Character) | $141.2M | 2002 |
65% |
|
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones | Mace Windu (Character) | $310.7M | 2002 |
78% |
|
Changing Lanes | Doyle Gibson (Character) | $66.8M | 2002 |
25% |
|
The 51st State |
Elmo McElroy (Character), Producer, Executive Producer |
$5.2M | 2001 |
45% |
|
The Caveman's Valentine | Romulus Ledbetter (Character) | $687.1K | 2001 |
70% |
|
Unbreakable | Elijah Price (Character) | $95.0M | 2000 |
67% |
|
Shaft | John Shaft (Character) | $70.3M | 2000 |
37% |
|
Rules of Engagement | Colonel Terry L. Childers (Character) | $61.3M | 2000 |
60% |
|
Deep Blue Sea | Russell Franklin (Character) | $73.6M | 1999 |
52% |
|
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace | Mace Windu (Character) | $452.0M | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Forever Hollywood | Self | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Our Friend, Martin | Turner (Voice) | - | 1999 |
74% |
|
The Red Violin | Charles Morritz (Montréal) (Character) | $9.5M | 1998 |
74% |
|
The Negotiator | Lt. Danny Roman (Character) | $44.7M | 1998 |
94% |
|
Out of Sight | Hejira Henry (Character) | $37.5M | 1998 |
13% |
|
Sphere | Dr. Harry Adams (Character) | $37.0M | 1998 |
30% |
|
One Eight Seven | Trevor Garfield (Character) | $5.7M | 1997 |
83% |
|
Eve's Bayou |
Louis Batiste (Character), Producer |
$14.8M | 1997 |
88% |
|
Jackie Brown | Ordell Robbie (Character) | $39.6M | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Search for One-Eye Jimmy | Col. Ron (Character) | $19.4K | 1996 |
68% |
|
The Long Kiss Goodnight | Mitch Henessey (Character) | $33.4M | 1996 |
81% |
|
Trees Lounge | Wendell (Character) | $673.3K | 1996 |
82% |
|
Hard Eight | Jimmy (Character) | $215.6K | 1996 |
67% |
|
A Time to Kill | Carl Lee Hailey (Character) | $108.7M | 1996 |
42% |
|
The Great White Hype | Rev. Fred Sultan (Character) | $7.8M | 1996 |
69% |
|
Kiss of Death | Calvin Hart (Character) | $14.7M | 1995 |
45% |
|
Losing Isaiah | Kadar Lewis (Character) | $3.7M | 1995 |
31% |
|
Fluke | Rumbo (Voice) | $3.3M | 1995 |
59% |
|
Die Hard With a Vengeance | Zeus Carver (Character) | $99.5M | 1995 |
No Score Yet |
|
Against the Wall | Jamaal (Character) | - | 1994 |
67% |
|
The New Age | Dale Deveaux (Character) | $203.6K | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Hail Caesar | Mailman (Character) | - | 1994 |
88% |
|
Fresh | Sam (Character) | $7.7M | 1994 |
92% |
|
Pulp Fiction | Jules Winnfield (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker | Richard Greener (Character) | - | 1994 |
17% |
|
Amos & Andrew | Andrew Sterling (Character) | $9.5M | 1993 |
93% |
|
True Romance | Big Don (Character) | - | 1993 |
92% |
|
Jurassic Park | Ray Arnold (Character) | $415.3M | 1993 |
84% |
|
Menace II Society | Tat Lawson (Character) | $27.7M | 1993 |
21% |
|
National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 | Wes Luger (Character) | $28.0M | 1993 |
81% |
|
Juice | Trip (Character) | $18.6M | 1992 |
44% |
|
White Sands | Greg Meeker (Character) | $8.2M | 1992 |
72% |
|
Patriot Games | Lt. Cmdr. Robert Jefferson 'Robby' Jackson (Character) | $82.7M | 1992 |
No Score Yet |
|
Fathers and Sons | Marshall (Character) | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet |
|
Jumpin' at the Boneyard | Mr. Simpson (Character) | $5.9K | 1991 |
27% |
|
Johnny Suede | B-Bop (Character) | $8.5K | 1991 |
80% |
|
Jungle Fever | Gator Purify (Character) | $31.7M | 1991 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dead and Alive | Hatcher (Character) | - | 1991 |
10% |
|
Strictly Business | Monroe (Character) | $7.4M | 1991 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Return of Superfly | Nate Cabot (Character) | - | 1990 |
92% |
|
Do the Right Thing | Mister Señor Love Daddy (Character) | $26.0M | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Making 'Do the Right Thing' | Self | - | 1989 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dead Man Out | Calvin Fredricks (Character) | - | 1989 |
79% |
|
Eddie Murphy Raw | Eddie's Uncle (Character) | $48.8M | 1987 |
No Score Yet |
|
Magic Sticks | Bum (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet |
|
Uncle Tom's Cabin | George (Character) | - | 1987 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist | Unknown (Character) | 2024 |
No Score Yet | 36% | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Guest | 2008-2010 2012 2015 2017-2020 2022 2024 |
89% | 79% | What If...? |
Sir Fury (Guest Voice), Nick Fury (Voice) |
2021 2023 |
52% | 44% | Secret Invasion |
Nick Fury (Character), Executive Producer |
2023 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Jennifer Hudson Show | Guest | 2023 |
No Score Yet | 49% | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert | Guest | 2016 2019 2021-2023 |
No Score Yet | 6% | The View | Guest | 2016 2020 2022 |
No Score Yet | 44% | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2014-2017 2019 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Variety Studio: Actors on Actors | Guest | 2015 2022 |
90% | 93% | The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey |
Ptolemy Grey (Character), Executive Producer |
2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Desus & Mero | Guest | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Guest | 2015 2017-2019 2022 |
68% | 95% | Janet Jackson. | Self | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Fix | Narrator | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Shaq Life | Narrator | 2020-2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Graham Norton Show | Guest | 2013-2016 2020-2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Enslaved: The Lost History of the Transatlantic Slave Trade |
Executive Producer, Host |
2020-2021 |
100% | 88% | Amend: The Fight for America | Self | 2021 |
78% | No Score Yet | Enslaved |
Executive Producer, Host |
2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | 60 Minutes | Guest | 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Carpool Karaoke: The Series | Music Performer | 2019 |
No Score Yet | 19% | The Late Late Show With James Corden | Guest | 2017 2019 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Conan | Guest | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Independent Lens | Unknown (Voice) | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen | Guest | 2016-2017 |
No Score Yet | 61% | Late Night With Seth Meyers | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Vice Guide to Film | Unknown (Character) | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter | Guest | 2016 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Celebrated | Self | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Alan Carr: Chatty Man | Guest | 2014-2015 |
100% | 90% | Late Show With David Letterman | Guest | 2013 |
No Score Yet | 58% | Saturday Night Live |
Unknown (Guest Star), Host |
1998 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Real Time With Bill Maher | Guest | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Finding Your Roots | Guest | 2012 |
No Score Yet | 70% | Skins | Alex Henley (Guest Star) | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Colbert Report | Guest | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Late Night With Jimmy Fallon | Guest | 2010-2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Curiosity | Host | 2011 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Lopez Tonight | Guest | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Late Night With Conan O'Brien | Guest | 2008 |
100% | 76% | Afro Samurai | Unknown (Voice) | 2007 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show | Guest | 2002-2003 2005 |
88% | 93% | Extras | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Unknown (Voice) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | 83% | Law & Order | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1991 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | EPIX FREE: Enslaved HD |
Executive Producer, Host |
|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Hateful Eight: Extended Version | Maj. Marcus Warren (Character) |