Samuel L. Jackson is one of the finest actors in the entertainment industry, with more than 100 movies in his name. The actor is known for captivating dialogue delivery, intense expressions, and impressive body language. He is popular for his roles in A Time to Kill, Deep Blue Sea, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Unthinkable, Kill Bill, and more. The actor was an addict in the initial years of his career which could have derailed his professional journey, but he used that phase to better himself.
The actor revealed in his book his breakthrough performance was when he was struggling with his addictions. He shared how his one role inspired him to get serious about acting.
Samuel L. Jackson on his best acting ever in Jungle Fever
Jungle Fever was a 1991 American romantic drama film written, produced, and directed by Spike Lee. The film explores the theme of the beginning and end of an extramarital interracial relationship in the early 90s period in New York City. In the film, Jackson played the role of a dancer named Gator. He was the main protagonist of the film, as it revolved around Gator’s relationship with his indulgent mother and religious father.
Gator would dance for his mother to get some money from her, but in the later part of the film, he does a confrontational and menacing dance for his father. Samuel L. Jackson recalled,
“I wanted him to look at me and actually see all the things in me that frightened him about himself as the good reverend doctor: the womanizer, the abuser, the self-righteous monster. That dance that I thought of at that moment was what I figured the personification of evil was for him.”
As per the plot, Gator succeeds in provoking his father, who ends up shooting him. That scene was deeply liberating for Jackson. He shared,
“When my character died, it was almost like I was killing off that part of my life.”
Gator’s death scene was the final scene of the film.
Samuel L. Jackson realized his hidden talent with Jungle Fever
The actor was an addict in his youth, which impacted his acting career. However, once he became clean, he realized he was sabotaging his talent. The actor shared that Gator was the best work he had ever done. He recalled in the book Bad Motherf-cker by Gavin Edwards,
“It was like the petals were closed and, all of a sudden, the sun hit the flower and opened it up.”
In 1991, the film was about to debut at the Cannes Film Festival, hence Samuel L. Jackson persuaded Lee to take him along. Lee had along with collaborators, including Wesley Snipes Anthony Quinn, and Stevie Wonder.
Lee said,
“Probably gonna get an award at Cannes.”
Jackson was aware there were no awards for supporting actors at Cannes, but he still asked to join Lee,
“But I’d still love to go with you. Are you gonna take me?”
There was no budget to buy Jackson’s plane ticket, hence he did not go. A week later, Jackson received a call that the jury was impressed by Jackson’s performance, and created a special award for Best Supporting Actor to honor him. Jackson was excited but angry that Lee did not take him to Cannes.
Source- Vanity Fair
