Top 5 Samuel L. Jackson Performances
Counting down our favourite performances by legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson
There's not many more famous than the legend that is Sam Jackson. Whether it's shining as a supporting character in a popular franchise or tearing it up with Quentin Tarantino, you somehow always feel safe when he's on screen. With the release of Prime original The Protégé, what better time to reflect on his career and count down his Top 5 performances.
"I'm sure he's in about 230 films!" - Gareth
5. Ordell Robbie
in Jackie Brown
"My ass may be dumb, but I ain't no dumbass."
Jackie Brown is often overlooked, and Jackson's performance along with it. This is truly one of his unsung performances, producing electric chemistry with all of his co-stars. From Robert De Niro to Pam Grier he never stops being Ordell and never cowers to anyone else. As always he commands every scene he's in, and it's no wonder Mr Tarantino so often wants to work with him when he's this damn good!
4. Mace Windu
in Star Wars episodes 1, 2 & 3
"But which was destroyed? The Master or the apprentice?"
It's a legendary tale, one that details Samuel L. Jackson requesting for his lightsaber to be purple. But this is not just a tale, as footage exists showing the actor make this request; the reason reportedly being so that he could be seen in the large-scale lightsaber battles. The fact of the matter is, no matter the colour of the lightsaber, we would always know where Samuel L. Jackson is, his stage presence is impossible to overlook.
3. Major Marquis Warren
in The Hateful Eight
"The blanket was just a heart breakin' liar's promise."
We sound like broken records here but again this film just shows off how much Samuel L. Jackson can command a screen. It's a bloody good movie and Jackson is bloody fantastic; his passion sweats and bleeds from him until the film's final moments, and even in scenes without him (though those are few and far between) you are left awaiting his next dramatic moment. Marquis is a "hateful" character, but Jackson is impossible to hate.
2. Frozone / Lucius Best
in The Incredibles
"Honey, where is my super suit?"
The scene showed in the picture and quoted above is one that we all know. Even in a vocal performance we feel that previously mentioned presence and his delivery on this scene in particular is hilariously honest and note-perfect. Besides anything else this is excellent casting, a skill that Pixar always have up their sleeve, and though the film doesn't revolve around Frozone, it's this scene that always steals the show upon rewatch and in pop-culture relevance.
1. Jules Winnfield
in Pulp Fiction
"If my answers frighten you, then you should cease asking scary questions!"
We could just quote everything that Jules says in Pulp Fiction and that would say it all.
There's not many monologues better than "the path of the righteous man" speech, and the command he has over everyone in the scene asserts the characters dominance. Samuel L. Jackson and Quentin Tarantino are a movie night recipe for success, and if there's any place to start, then it's definitely here.
Worthy Contenders
Characters that came close, but for whatever reason, didn't quite make the cut
Nick Fury (MCU)
- Gareth "ain't that fussed on him in Marvel", but he's great when he needs to be.
Arnold (Jurassic Park)
- This is the first time we remember actively thinking "this man's called Samuel L. Jackson and he's good".
Elijah Price (Unbreakable)
- Ellis hasn't seen it...so blame him!