Samuel L. Jackson Doesn’t Want To Be Called A Legend(Photo Credit –Instagram)
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Samuel L. Jackson has played everything from a hitman to a cowboy to a smooth-talking criminal. If you’ve watched enough of Quentin Tarantino’s films, you’ve probably seen him do all three in one movie. There’s even that one time he was an organ player, and yes, that was a real role. His filmography runs so deep it would take a whole day to scroll through, and even then, you’d probably miss a few.
Samuel Jackson is the Box Office King Without the Usual Hollywood Path
When it comes beyond the screen, things get even more serious for Samuel Jackson. He’s collected awards from places that matter, such as Cannes, Berlin, and the BAFTAs, but still hasn’t landed an Oscar, which says more about the system than his talent.
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Moreover, his movies have made more money than anyone else’s, somewhere around $27 billion, and he hasn’t sat on that money either. He frequently but quietly and consistently gives it back to supporting causes that actually need help.
Why Samuel Jackson Doesn’t Like Being Called a Legend
Despite the numbers and accolades, Jackson doesn’t seem too interested in being put on a pedestal. At a film festival appearance for SCAD, where he was being honored with a ‘Legend of Cinema’ award, he admitted he’s not too comfortable with the label.
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According to Entertainment Weekly, it is because to him it feels like something meant for people who did the impossible. He says he got here through sheer effort, by pushing through the hard parts and showing up again and again until things worked out.
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He’s also never pretended to be anything other than what he is. In that same appearance, he called out ‘bullshit’ actors who say they don’t like watching their own films, stating, “get another job, because that’s what it is, it’s a look-at-me business”.
Samuel Jackson’s Late Start That Never Slowed Him Down
The ‘Hateful Eight’ star didn’t come into acting through the usual path. He was originally studying marine biology and didn’t find regular roles until his thirties. He was nearly halfway through life before the big break arrived with Pulp Fiction in 1994. But by then, he already had enough real-world experience to cut through the pretense.
That background shaped how he sees things. He didn’t come in young or connected. He came in late and worked like hell to stay. He knows the value of what he’s built, and while he may not like the term, there’s no denying what he represents. The kind of career he’s had and the way he’s carried himself through it, isn’t something you see often.
He might never call himself a legend, but the rest of us probably will anyway.
