It’s impossible to name well-established black actors who know how to break box office records without mentioning Samuel L. Jackson, and that’s not changing anytime soon. Known for his signature “Mean Glare,” he’s considered an actor and producer for many reasons. For one, he takes roles and nails them in the most incredible way in film history. Secondly, his opportunities to unleash his talents usually allow for more playing time than is normally thought. These outstanding streaks have also garnered him numerous film roles as well as a slew of awards and nominations. Additionally, they left him a huge fortune as one of his works won the highest-grossing film of all time in 2012, grossing around $7.4 billion. We’ve highlighted more of Jackson’s accomplishments throughout his four-decade career below. Look at her.
Jackson spent his early days in Chattanooga, Tennessee under the care of his mother, maternal grandparents and other extended family members on his maternal side. But he was born in Washington DC. He likes his mother, who worked in a factory and later in a mental hospital as a delivery man, but his father wasn’t in his life growing up. His parents Elizabeth and Roy Henry Jackson lived apart when he was much younger. His alcoholic father, whom he only met twice in his life, lived away from family in Kansas City, Missouri. As harrowing as this glimpse into Jackson’s early life is, it was a source of inspiration for the power actor.
Jackson attended various schools for children of color before graduating from Riverside High School in Chattanooga. He was a member of the school music group, in which he played trumpet and french horn.
In the late 1960s, Jackson became a sophomore at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. The actor joined the school with an initial plan that included a degree in marine biology and never considered becoming an actor. He later changed his mind to study architecture, and while pitching for extra credit in class, Jackson ended up in an acting group. From that moment his interest in acting grew and he eventually switched his major to drama.
After reading so much about Martin Lurther King Jr., Samuel L. Jackson began to worship him and immediately became a huge supporter of the civil rights movements. At the time of his death, he was serving as usher during his 1968 funeral following the activist’s assassination. Perhaps he wanted to stand up for his icon when he and other students protested a year later demanding reform of school government, school policies, and the curriculum. The protest ended successfully, but he was suspended for two years for his role in the protest. As a result, he and other students took hostages, including the school principals and his hero’s father, Martin Luther King Sr. It turned out that the suspension was not an option for Biege Jackson, who became more involved in the black power movement. This continued and at one point the FBI warned his single mother about his son, predicting that he would lose his life if he continued to walk on the razor blade. As his mother’s only child, Elizabeth was forced to relocate the now veteran actor to Los Angeles.
career as an actor
In 1972, Jackson finally graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in acting. After graduating, he was more focused on his career and the vision to achieve his dream through the Black Power movement. This led him to take part in a variety of stage plays. He played this genre for more than 15 years. Some of the plays he did include Home, For Days Together and A Soldiers Play. Sadly , in the late ’80s, he stopped being practical about his career and began following his father’s footsteps in indulging in alcohol, heroin, and even worse, cocaine. Yet his skills continued to earn him small roles and during that time he starred in If You Come to America, Do the Right Thingand Goodfellas. He also worked as Bill Cosby’s replacement on The Bill Cosby Show for three years. His addiction worsened in the 1990s before the actor, with the help of his wife and family, finally conquered his weak point – alcoholism – through a successful rehab in New York.
Samuel L Jackson turned acting powerhouse after that, appearing in Jungle Fever which tells the story of a crack cocaine addict. The post-Jackson film had a soul-cleansing effect on him as he was psychologically freed from his previous addiction. He did an excellent job and earned a supporting actor award that was designed especially for him at the 1991 Cannas Film Festival. This made him more adamant about appearing in Strictly Business, Juice, and Patriot Games . However, public opinion went against him when he starred in Losing Isaiah which failed to impress the public. The actor immediately regained his reputation with roles in films like BackDie hard with revenge and a time to kill that exceeded the box office. The new millennium whizzed by and became even more rewarding when he received an instant star recognition on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Blvd. Some of his brightest endeavors include; Freedomland and the Champ’s Revival, Rules of Engagement, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Black Snake Moan, 1408 and The 51st State. He also appeared on Pulp Fiction & Jackie Brown.
More impressively, Jackson has been involved in other projects outside of acting and producing. The actor has appeared in various TV shows, audio books (e.g. Go The Fuck To Sleep), music videos (e.g. 911 is a Public Enemy joke released in 1990) and a video game (Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas) contributed. He has also voiced various TV characters in anime series such as Afro Samurai and Boondocks . Jackson was a presenter on the 1998 MTV Movie Awards, a guest star on the BBC/HBO sitcom Extras .
wife and family
Samuel L Jackson has a family that includes a wife La Tanya Richardson and a daughter named Zoe. These two women have been a source of strength for him since the beginning of his career. He married his college sweetheart, La Tanya Richardson, in 1980, meaning they have been married for approximately 38 years. La Tanya is also an actress, known for her roles in When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), The Warring Temptations and The Loss of Isaiah (1995).
Height
What many don’t know about Jackson is that he is bald in real life and always wears wigs in some of his films. Despite this, the actor towers at a height of 189 cm. He weighs 83 kg and wears shoe size 11 (US) / 44 (EU).
Wealth (income and earnings)
American actor Samuel L Jackson is one of those old folks on the big screen, having started in the early 1970’s and as expected, has made enough income from his career, as well as some credits. The actor’s annual income is said to be around $13 million while his personal investments are around $105 million including a $8.35 million home in California and a SOHO apartment in New York im Worth $4,350,000. He also has a fleet of 9 expensive cars worth $3 million including Range Rover valued at $225,000, Maybach 57 S ($366,934), Mercedez, Bugatti and Rolls Royce. Overall, Jackson’s net worth is estimated at $220 million.
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