Samuel L Jackson: “I'm Just Along For The Ride”

At 71 years old, actor Samuel L Jackson is still one of the coolest cats in Hollywood. He opens up about how success, addiction and inspiration have shaped him

- Violet Wilder

Samuel L Jackson has a ritual that accompanies the release of each of his movies. Call it superstition, label it a debt to karmic alignment… whatever it is, it backbones a professional mantra that, up to this point, has reaped unquestionably winning results.

“I have this rule,” he leans forward in his seat, explaining in that, warm, gravelled purr. “Whenever I have a film opening, I know it’s going to make at least a thousand dollars. I buy $1000 of tickets for my movie and I give them to my church—they give them to the kids or whoever. So I always know it’s going to make at least a thousand dollars.” It’s difficult to imagine Jackson’s Hollywood dealings ever being driven by a need to hit a certain level, particularly in the 26 years since the bebop sermons of Pulp Fiction’s Jules Winnfield created a historic icon of “cool”.

Of course, with over 130 film credits and counting—which, inexplicably, have garnered just one Oscar nomination—Jackson is best known for his countless big-screen smash hits. Jurassic Park, the Star Wars prequel trilogy and Marvel’s billion grossing Avengers franchise series have made the actor the highest grossing star at the box office, with his films making nearly $10billion.

Not even hitting the big 7-0 at the end of 2018 has aided the star in quelling his insecurities when it comes to bulk purchase of cinema tickets. That is despite the burgeoning rebirth of the superhero genre having only hastened Jackson’s seemingly unrelenting rise to wherever it is the planet’s highest-grossing film star can ascend to… perhaps he knows.

“I’ve no idea,” he chips back. “I’m just along for the ride.”