Prolific is a massive understatement when it comes to describing producer Samuel L. Jackson, who next stars in The Kill Room, which opens Sept. 29.
Since his debut in indie film Together For Days in 1972, the 74-year-old Jackson has been in more than 100 films that have collectively grossed more than $27 billion, making him the highest-grossing live-action actor of all time as of 2021, according to The Numbers.
In his career, he’s been in some of the most iconic films ever, as well, including Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing (1989), Mo’ Better Blues (1990) and Jungle Fever (1991), Jurassic Park (1993), A Time to Kill (1996), Black Snake Moan (2006), Goodfellas (1990), Die Hard With A Vengeance (1995) and the unforgettable Snakes On A Plane (2006).
Jackson got his big break after he appeared in True Romance (1993), which was written by Quentin Tarantino. After that experience, Tarantino came to Jackson with the role of Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction (1994), which the director says he wrote specifically for Jackson. Jackson would go on to appear in five more Tarantino films: Jackie Brown (1997), The Hateful Eight (2015), Kill Bill Volume 2 (2004), Django Unchained (2021) and Inglorious Basterds (2009) as the narrator. He’s played NYPD detective John Shaft twice, in 2000 and 2019, and he’s appeared in 11 Marvel movies as Nick Fury.
In addition to his film work, Jackson has appeared on stage, including The Mountaintop (2011-2012) and The Piano Lesson (2022) on Broadway.
In the 2000s alone, Jackson made 38 movies. He topped that in the 2010s by appearing in 43 films.
With no disrespect to the late-great James Brown, Jackson has clearly taken over the title of “the hardest working man in show business.”
“Painters get up and paint,” Jackson once said. “Writers get up and write. I like to get up and act. It’s not a big deal. It makes me happy.”
It makes a lot of us happy to see his work, too. Take a pass with us to see many of his career highlights in pictures.
‘Ragtime’ (1981)
From left, Samuel L. Jackson, Dorsey Wright, Howard E. Rollins, Frankie Faison and Calvin Levels.
‘Coming to America’ (1988)
Jackson with Eddie Murphy.
‘School Daze’ (1988)
Jackson with Laurence Fishburne.
‘Mo’ Better Blues’ (1990)
Jackson with Spike Lee.
‘Jungle Fever’ (1991)
Jackson with Ruby Dee.
‘Patriot Games’ (1992)
Jackson as former Navy pilot Robby Jackson.
‘White Sands’ (1992)
Jackson as FBI agent Greg Meeker.
‘Amos and Andrew’ (1993)
Jackson with Nicolas Cage.
‘Jurassic Park’ (1993)
Jackson with Richard Attenborough.
‘National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon’ (1993)
Jackson as Sgt. Wes Luger.
‘True Romance’ (1993)
Jackson as Big Don.
‘Assault at West Point’ (1994)
From left, Sam Waterston, Jackson and Seth Gilliam.
‘Fresh’ (1994)
Jackson with Sean Nelson.
‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
Jackson with John Travolta.
‘Kiss of Death’ (1995)
Jackson with Nicolas Cage.
‘Die Hard: With A Vengeance’ (1995)
Jackson with Bruce Willis.
‘Losing Isaiah’ (1995)
Jackson with Halle Berry.
‘Fluke’ (1995)
Jackson was the voce of Rumbo, top.
‘The Great White Hype’ (1996)
Jackson with Cheech Marin.
‘A Time to Kill’ (1996)
Jackson with Matthew McConaughey.
‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’ (1996)
Jackson with Geena Davis.
‘Hard Eight’ (1996)
Jackson with John C. Reilly.
‘Trees Lounge’ (1996)
Jackson with Bronson Dudley.
‘187’ (1997)
Jackson with Clifton Gonzalez Gonzalez and Jonah Rooney.
‘Eve’s Bayou’ (1997)
Jackson as Dr. Louis Bastiste.
‘Jackie Brown’ (1997)
Jackson with Bridget Fonda and Robert De Niro.
‘Sphere’ (1998)
Jackson with Dustin Hoffman and Sharon Stone.
‘The Negotiator’ (1998)
Jackson with J.T. Walsh.
The Red Violin’ (1998)
Jackson as violin appraiser Charles Morritz.
‘Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace’ (1999)
Jackson with Yoda.
‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999)
From left, Michael Rappaport, Thomas Jane (background), Jackson and Saffron Burrows.
‘Rules of Engagement’ (2000)
Jackson with Tommy Lee Jones and Guy Pearce.
‘Shaft’ (2000)
Jackson with Toni Collette.
‘Unbreakable’ (2000)
Jackson with Bruce Willis.
‘Caveman’s Valentine’ (2001)
From left, Aunjanue Ellis, Jackson and Peter MacNeill.
‘The 51st State’ (2001)
Jackson with Robert Carlyle. The film was also known as Formula 51.
‘Changing Lanes’ (2002)
Jackson with Ben Affleck.
‘Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones’ (2002)
Jackson as Mace Windu.
‘XXX’ (2002)
Jackson with Vin Diesel.
‘No Good Deed’ (2002)
Jackson with Milla Jovovich. The film was also known as The House on Turk Street.
‘Basic’ (2003)
Jackson as Sgt. Nathan West.
‘Twisted’ (2004)
From left, Andy Garcia, Ashley Judd, Jackson and Russell Wong.
‘The Incredibles’ (2004)
Jackson was the voice actor for Frozone.
‘In My Country’ (2004)
Jackson with Juliette Binoche.
‘Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson’ (2004)
Jack Johnson fighting Al Kaufmann in 1909. Jackson narrated the documentary.
‘Coach Carter’ (2005)
Jackson as high school basketball coach Ken Carter.
‘XXX: State of the Union ‘ (2005)
Jackson with Ice Cube.
‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’ (2005)
From left, Ian McDiarmid, director George Lucas and Jackson on set.
‘The Man’ (2006)
Jackson with Eugene Levy.
‘Freedomland’ (2006)
Jackson with Julianne Moore.
‘Snakes on a Plane’ (2006)
Jackson as FBI Neville Flynn.
‘Home of the Brave’ (2006)
Jackson as American soldier Lt. Col. Dr. William Marsh.
‘Black Snake Moan’ (2007)
Jackson with Christina Ricci.
‘1408’ (2007)
Jackson with John Cusack.
‘Resurrecting the Champ’ (2007)
Jackson with Josh Hartnett and Dakota Goyo.
‘Cleaner’ (2007)
Jackson as crime scene cleaner Tom Cutler.
‘Jumper’ (2008)
Jackson with Hayden Christensen.
‘Lakeview Terrace’ (2008)
Jackson with Patrick Wilson.
‘Soul Men’ (2008)
Jackson with Bernie Mac.
‘The Spirit’ (2008)
Jackson as psychotic supervillan Octopus.
‘Mother and Child’ (2009)
Jackson with Naomi Watts.
‘Inglorious Basterds’ (2009)
From left, Eli Roth and Brad Pitt.
‘Unthinkable’ (2010)
Jackson with Carrie-Anne Moss.
‘Iron Man 2’ (2010)
From left: Scarlett Johansson, Jackson and Robert Downey Jr.
‘The Other Guys’ (2010)
Jackson with Dwayne Johnson.
‘The Samaritan’ (2012)
Jackson with Luke Kirby.
‘Meeting Evil’ (2012)
Jackson as Richie, 2012.
‘The Avengers’ (2012)
From left, Chris Evans (as Captain America), Robert Downey Jr. (as Tony Stark) and Jackson (as Nick Fury).
‘Django Unchained’ (2012)
From left, Jackson, Kerry Washington and Dana Michelle Gourrier.
‘Turbo’ (2013)
Jackson as the voice of Whiplash, second from right.
‘Oldboy’ (2013)
Jackson with Josh Brolin.
‘Captain American: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)
Jackson with Robert Redford.
‘Reasonable Doubt’ (2014)
Jackson as auto mechanic Clinton Davis.
‘Robocop’ (2014)
Jackson as businessman Patrick ‘Pat’ Novak.
‘Kite’ (2014)
U.S. poster with Jackson, India Eisley and Callan McAuliffe.
‘Big Game’ (2014)
Jackson with Onni Tommila.
‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ (2014)
From left, Taron Egerton, Colin Firth and Jackson.
‘Barely Lethal’ (2015)
Jackson with Hailee Steinfeld.
‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015)
Jackson with Walton Goggins.
‘Cell’ (2016)
From left, Jackson, Isabelle Fuhrman and John Cusack.
‘The Legend of Tarzan’ (2016)
Jackson with Alexander Skarsgard.
‘I Am Not Your Negro’ (2016)
Jackson was the narrator for the documentary.
‘Miss Peregrin’s Home for Peculiar Children’ (2016)
Jackson as Mr. Barron
‘XXX: Return of Xander Cage’ (2017)
Jackson as Agent Agustus Gibbons.
‘Kong: Skull Island’ (2017)
Jackson with John C. Reilly, center, and Tom Hiddleston.
‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ (2017)
Jackson with Ryan Reynolds.
‘Unicorn Store’ (2017)
Jackson with Brie Larson.
‘Incredibles 2’ (2018)
Jackson returns as the voice of Frozone.
‘Glass’ (2019)
Jackson with Anya Taylor-Joy.
‘Captain Marvel’ (2019)
Jackson as Nick Fury with Brie Larson.
‘Shaft’ (2019)
Jackson with Jessie T. Usher, left, and Richard Roundtree.
‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ (2019)
Jackson with Cobie Smulders.
‘The Last Full Measure’ (2019)
Jackson with Sebastian Stan.
‘The Banker’ (2019)
From left: Nicholas Hoult, Jackson and Anthony Mackie.
‘Spiral’ (2021)
Jackson as Marcus Banks.
‘The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ (2021)
Jackson with Ryan Reynolds amd Salma Hayek.
‘The Protégé’ (2021)
Jackson with Maggie Q.
‘Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank’ (2022)
Jackson was the voice of Jimbo.
‘The Kill Room’ (2023)
Jackson with Uma Thurman.
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