Happy Birthday Samuel L. Jackson: Revisiting veteran actor’s most popular characters

There may be very few genres Samuel L Jackson has not tried his hand at. Throughout the span of his thirty long career, the prolific actor has essayed a wide range of roles spanning genres from action to comedy to thrillers to science fiction.

It comes as no surprise that he has built a legacy playing characters that have gained global recognition, including the MCU’s sassy S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury.

As the veteran star turns another year around the sun, here is a list of his well known characters that have become pop culture favourites.

Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction marked the beginning of Jackson’s frequent collaborations with Quentin Tarantino, and yielded one of the most popular roles of the former’s career. Winnfield is an eccentric assassin with an unpredictable demeanour as well as an uncanny ability to stay calm in the most high pressure situations, for instance when you have a gun to your face. His character became etched in pop culture as a fan favourite, and Jackson was even nominated for an Academy Award for his performance.

Nick Fury from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Arguably one of Jackson’s most popular characters in recent times, the comic character made his first MCU appearance in 2008’s Iron Man, in a cameo role. Starting from a low level position in S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury rose the ranks to become one of its most powerful directors. His dedication to protecting the Earth from alien threats also leads him to helm the Avengers Initiative, which brought together the finest of the world’s superheroes. The no-nonsense leader with a penchant for sarcasm quickly became a fan favourite.

Mace Windu from Star Wars

One of the most iconic science fiction universes just got a whole lot better with the addition of Jackson. Mace Windu was a powerful Jedi master who served as an important member of the High Council, renowned throughout the galaxy for his wisdom and skill in battle. The character first appeared in 1999’s The Phantom Menace. And who could forget the awe-inspiring purple lightsaber, the first and only of its kind in the universe. And the fact that the story behind it is the simple fact that Jackson requested one of the colour, just adds to its marvel.

Stephen Warren from Django Unchained

In Django Unchained Jackson proved that even in a supporting role, he could steal every scene he figures in. he slips into the antagonistic role of Warren, a house slave to a wealthy plantation owner, easily. His manipulative and inhuman conduct, betraying his own people in loyalty to a master who treats him like an object, leads to some sequences that may be a difficult watch to some. The complicated character keeps you guessing of his intentions in every scene, adding to the already palpable tension.

Ray Arnold from Jurassic Park

This role saw Jackson be part of yet another beloved film franchise, albeit in a smaller role. Arnold is the titular park’s chief engineer, who does his best to hold down the fort when all hell breaks loose. The character oozes charm with his witticisms and misguided optimism. One of his catchphrases ‘Hold onto your butts’, which he uttered before doing something dangerous, also became a pop culture staple.

Carl Lee Hailey from A Time to Kill

In this courtroom drama, Jackson plays the role of a grieving father, who murders the white men who raped his young daughter. He goes on trial for the act, with the people around him blissfully ignoring the fact that the reason the man had done so was the fact that the perpetrators would likely go free, under the inherently racist legal system prevalent at the time. His performance is gut wrenching, to say the least and mirrors the helplessness and vulnerability people of colour experience even today in a system stacked against them. He also displays incredible chemistry with his co-star Matthew McConaughey, which is also one of the highlights of the film.