Proficient in stealing almost every scene he appears in, this explosive and prolific actor is respectfully labeled as one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood.
From portraying Hit Man to Jedi Master, his films have grossed more money in box office sales than any other actor in the history of filmmaking.
Due to his prominent stature within the film industry, he is accorded a clause in all his movie contracts which guarantees him easy access to golf courses, no matter where the location shoot happens to be.
Childhood
Samuel Leroy Jackson was born on December 21, 1948 in Washington DC and was raised by his grandmother. His father lived away from the family and Jackson met him only twice in his life.
During childhood, he had a stuttering problem, which he conquered by attending public speaking classes.
He attended several segregated schools. Then he entered the Morehouse College in Atlanta and became increasingly involved in the black-power movement. He was also an usher at Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral.
In 1969, his junior year, he protested the absence of blacks on the board of trustees by locking several board members in a building for two days, and was promptly expelled from the college.
During suspension, he worked as a social worker for two years in Los Angeles. Â Jackson returned to Morehouse to pursue the study of acting and received his degree in 1972.
Filmography
After college, Jackson joined the Black Image Theatre Company where he toured the country and performed skits characterized by a fiery combination of rage and humor.
 In 1976, Jackson moved to New York to pursue a career in acting. He performed in various films, including ‘Eddie Murphy Raw’ (1987) and ‘Coming to America’ (1988); television movies, including ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ (1987) and ‘Dead Man Out’ (1989).
His breakthrough came with 1991’s Jungle Fever where his performance grabbed critics’ attention and inspired some well-earned praise. Through playing an on-screen drug-demon, Jackson was forced to confront his own off-screen demon – an increasingly destructive addiction to drugs and alcohol. The energizing nature of his performance enabled Jackson to give up drugs, making it both a personal and professional success.
He got the role of his life in 1994 when he starred in ‘Pulp Fiction’. He moved and terrified audiences with his impassioned performance, becoming the elusive moral center of the psychologically twisted film.
The actor went on to make several big Hollywood films, including ‘A Time to Kill’ (1996), the action-thriller ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’ (1996) and ‘Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace’ (1999).
In 2000, he starred in the military thriller ‘Rules of Engagement’ and in the remake of the classic 1970s blaxploitation hit ‘Shaft’.
In 2002, Jackson starred in ‘Changing Lanes’. He also starred in ‘Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones’. Jackson also starred in ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’ (2005,) ‘Black Snake Moan’ (2006) and ‘Snakes on a Plane’ (2006).
He also played the role of Nick Fury in ‘Iron Man’. His appearance comes only after the final credits have rolled—setting up the inevitable sequel to the successful film. He appeared in the sequel, ‘Iron Man 2’, in 2010, signing a nine-film agreement with Marvel to play the character.
Jackson has the rare distinction of having played characters that have been eaten by both a shark and a dinosaur.
Personal Life
In 1980, Jackson married actress and sports channel producer LaTanya Richardson. The couple has a daughter.
He is an avid basketball fan, with his favourite teams being the ‘Harlem Globetrotters’ and the ‘Toronto Raptors’.
He enjoys playing golf and has said that if he had to choose a career other than acting, it would be to be golfing on the PGA circuit, claiming it is the only place he can “go dressed as a pimp and fit in perfectlyâ€.Â