Even before collaborating together in MCU’s first female-led superhero flick, Brie Larson and Samuel L Jackson shared a great bond behind the curtains, thanks to their time on Kong: Skull Island. Since then, Jackson has been pretty outspoken about supporting the Captain Marvel star amidst the online backlash that surrounded her after she landed in some controversies.
But before uniting in 2019’s Captain Marvel, the two would go on to star in the Fast X actress’ directorial debut. However, it appears Jackson wasn’t initially approached to star in Larson’s film, which didn’t sit right with the Pulp Fiction star.
Brie Larson didn’t initially consider Samuel L Jackson for her directorial debut
Considering that her directorial debut, Netflix’s Unicorn Store, was set to debut in the same year as Kong: Skull Island, she got the opportunity to discuss her project with the Marvel costar. However, Samuel L Jackson recalled the Captain Marvel star didn’t initially ask him for the role of The Salesman and was considering other actors for the job. After being asked why she wasn’t considering him for the role, Larson explained she wasn’t sure if Jackson would agree to star in her project. Jackson explained,
“Then, when she was doing her movie [‘Unicorn Store’] and trying to get a particular actor, I was in the makeup trailer with her and was like, ‘Why are you trying to hire this other actor and not trying to get me to do your movie?’ She said, ‘I didn’t think you’d ever do it… so, will you?’ And I was like, ‘Let’s do it.”
Things would eventually work out in the end, as Samuel L Jackson would go on star alongside Brie Larson in her directorial debut, which would further strengthen their friendship.
Brie Larson took Samuel L Jackson’s advice after being offered Captain Marvel
After Brie Larson was offered to star in MCU’s first female-led superhero film, which was set to introduce its strongest superhero, she initially asked Samuel L Jackson for his advice. This would lead Jackson to encourage the actress to take the gig, as he went on the blast the unwanted hate against her and was eager to star alongside her in another project. He stated,
“Then, when she got Captain Marvel, she called me and was like, ‘They want me in the Marvel Universe. Should I do it?’ And I was like, ‘Hell yeah! Let’s do it!’ But she’s not going to let any of that stuff destroy her. These incel dudes who hate strong women, or the fact that she’s a feminist who has an opinion and expressed it? Everybody wants people to be who they want them to be. She is who she is, and she’s genuinely that.”
With the two set to join forces again in the upcoming Marvel project The Marvels, it will be interesting to see how their story unfolds in the next chapter of MCU.
The Marvels will hit theatres on 10 November 2023 and Unicorn Store is available to stream on Netflix.
Source: Rolling Stone
