For many actors, it’s simply an honor to be nominated, however Samuel L. Jackson isn’t most actors.
Jackson has starred in among the most iconic movies of all time, together with “Goodfellas” (1990), “Jurassic Park” (1993) and “Pulp Fiction” (1994), and has earned vital popularity of his performances throughout the a long time, however has solely been nominated for an Oscar as soon as.
Whereas selling his newest movie on Tuesday, the veteran actor candidly addressed the subject.
“We’ve been in the business long enough to know that folks who go, ‘Well, it’s just an honor to be nominated’ — no, it ain’t,” Jackson advised The Related Press, prompting Michael Potts, his costar in “The Piano Lesson” who was sitting beside him, to chortle heartily.
“It’s an honor to win!” Jackson continued. “You get nominated, folks go, ‘Yeah, yeah, I remember that.’ Or most people forget. And generally, it’s a contest you didn’t volunteer to be in. I didn’t go in there so I could flex, like, ’Wait a minute, let me do my scene!”
Jackson has been appearing because the Nineteen Seventies, has starred in additional than 150 movies, and acquired a star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame in 2000.
His one Oscar nomination got here in 1995 for his efficiency as hitman Jules Winnfield in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” — however Martin Landau took dwelling the Greatest Supporting Actor Oscar that 12 months for his flip as Bela Lugosi in “Ed Wood.”
“They nominate you, and folks go, ‘What is that movie they’re nominated for? What’s the name of that thing?’” Jackson mentioned Tuesday. “And then, after it’s over, people have a hard time remembering who even won.”
Chris Pizzello/Related Press
Followers of Jackson on social media acknowledged that the Academy Awards don’t essentially reward essentially the most deserving actors, however Jackson has gained trophies elsewhere, together with from the BAFTAs and the Cannes Movie Pageant.
His casting in main franchises over the a long time, in the meantime, which embrace “Star Wars,” Marvel and animated Pixar movies, earned Jackson a Guinness World Report in 2023 because the actor with essentially the most movies topping $100 million on the worldwide field workplace.
We Want Your Assist
Already contributed? Log in to cover these messages.
In 2021, he even acquired an honorary Oscar — which Jackson mentioned “didn’t feel honorary.”
“I earned it,” he advised Vulture in 2023. “I worked for it. I can possibly name four other instances where I could have won or should have won or should have been nominated, but I’m fine with it. It’s mine. I got it. My name’s on it.”
