Samuel L. Jacksonis without a doubt one of the most recognizable and well-known actors working today. He has an incredibly prolific career, with over 200 credited roles spread out over multiple decades, and is notable for being the highest-grossing star of all time, as all the movies he’s appeared in havecollectively earned $27 billionworldwide.
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Part of this comes from his frequent appearances as Nick Fury throughout the films in theMarvel Cinematic Universe(and it’s worth noting thatit’s a role Jackson himself loves playing). Critically, a good chunk of his most iconic performances have come from his collaborations withQuentin Tarantino, and 1994’sPulp Fictionis somehow the only time he’s been Oscar-nominated. But outside the MCU and Tarantino, there are countless other notable Samuel L. Jackson performances.
‘Die Hard: With a Vengeance’ (1995)
The thirdDie Hardismore of a buddy moviethan the first two, as it pairsBruce Willisand Samuel L. Jackson as an unlikely duo that needs to save New York City from a mysterious and ruthless terrorist who takes pleasure in tormenting Willis' John McClane.
It’s widely agreed to be the best of theDie Hardsequels, and Jackson is a big reason for that. He injects the film with great energy and helps the humor land far better than it did in the secondDie Hard.He works tremendously well when paired with Willis, given the two have great chemistry. If you only watch one sequel to the masterful originalDie Hard, make sure it’s this one.
‘Jungle Fever’ (1991)
Spike Lee’sJungle Feverhas a primary plot that revolves around a Black architect who has an affair with a co-worker who isn’t Black, and the way this creates substantial worry and turmoil in his life. Samuel L. Jackson appears in a supporting role - and in more of a subplot capacity - but ends up just about stealing the movie.
It was one of Jackson’s first sizable roles where he wasn’t just playing an extra or minor character (such as his blink and you’ll miss it role inGoodfellasthe previous year). The Oscars overlooked Jackson’s fantastic performance as a man struggling with a crack cocaine addiction, but he was recognized with a best supporting actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his role inJungle Fever, and his career really started to take off afterward.
‘Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith’ (2005)
Admittedly, Jackson’s role in theStar Warsprequels is almost as iconic as his MCU role, but it’s still worth mentioning, even if it’s not exactly an overlooked, underrated, or lesser-known performance of his.
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Samuel L. Jackson portrays Mace Windu, who’s notable for being one of the most prominent Jedi Knights in the years leading up to the fall of the Jedi Order and his purple lightsaber.Revenge of the Sithprobably gives him the most to do as a character, and during the scene where he’s killed, he’s responsible for deflecting Palpatine’s lightning back at him, causing the disfigured face that the character sports for the rest of theStar Warsseries.
‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ (2014)
Samuel L. Jackson forms part of the great cast that the originalKingsmanmovie boasts, appearing alongsideColin Firth,Michael Caine, andTaron Egerton. He plays the film’s primary villain, an obscenely wealthy man who wants to prevent catastrophic climate change by killing off most of the world’s population.
Jackson is clearly having a lot of fun playing an over-the-top villain, as the actor often plays good (or neutral) supporting characters rather than outright antagonists. His lisp, bold fashion choices, and delight in his villainous deeds make him one of the film’s most memorable characters.
‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’ (1996)
1996’sThe Long Kiss Goodnightgives Samuel L. Jackson a role similar to the one he played the year before inDie Hard: With a Vengeance. In this action/buddy movie, he’s paired withGeena Davisinstead of Bruce Willis, who plays a woman with a mysterious history as a deadly secret agent whose past starts catching up with her.
Of course, its plot isn’t comparable toDie Hard, but its tone and action scenes feel reminiscent of that third movie; both are good examples of1990saction blockbusters. And once again, Jackson delivers in the supporting/buddy role, working well with Davis when it comes to the film’s action and comedy.
‘Unbreakable’ (2000)
M. Night Shyamalan’sfollow-up to the monumentally successfulThe Sixth Senseremains one of the director’s best films. It’s a quiet, character-focused take on the superhero genre, where Samuel L. Jackson plays a man inflicted with brittle bone disease who meets Bruce Willis' character, a man who has mysteriously developed an almost superhuman physical resilience.
Unbreakabledoes interesting things with the genre in a time before superhero movies really took off, meaning it’s aged surprisingly well and still feels unique today. Regrettably, the 2019 follow-upGlasswasn’t great, but Jackson does deliver in both, especially for the superiorUnbreakable.
‘The Incredibles’ (2004)
Yes,The Incrediblesis only a voice-acting performance, but Samuel L. Jackson’s voice work as Frozone is so memorable it deserves to be ranked among the actor’s most memorable performances. Jackson plays Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible’s fellow superhero and best friend, with the two needing to come out of retirement after the world - that’s banned superheroes - needs superheroes to save it.
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Frozone doesn’t get as much focus as the Parr family, but he plays a key role in both the film’s opening scenes and its climax. Plus, his “where is my super-suit?” scene is one of the film’s best moments and is perhaps the best Samuel L. Jackson outburst ever that doesn’t feature any non-family-friendly language.
‘Deep Blue Sea’ (1999)
While it’s admittedly not a great movie,Deep Blue Seais still pretty fun, being an over-the-top people vs. sharks movie set in a remote research facility. Samuel L. Jackson is one of the best things the film’s got going for it, too, especially when it comes to his infamous monologue about those in danger needing to stick together to survive.
Without going into why, he’s in what’s without a doubt the film’s most memorable scene, and the goofy dialogue and over-the-top premise lets Jackson let loose with a fiery, loud performance that only Jackson can do. It’s questionable how well-rememberedDeep Blue Seawould be without Jackson, if at all.
‘The Other Guys’ (2010)
The Other Guys’title refers to the characters played byWill FerrellandMark Wahlberg, two low-level cops who play second fiddle to the police department’s more celebrated duo, played by Samuel L. Jackson andDwayne Johnson.
Circumstances cause Ferrell’s and Wahlberg’s characters to effectively replace Jackson’s and Johnson’s, which means Jackson’s role is regrettably small. But he makes every second count, and his brief presence in the film is also what makes his (and Johnson’s) characters memorable and hilarious. As long as you don’t go in expecting a lot of Samuel L. Jackson, fans of the actor will likely be happy with his performance here.
‘Jurassic Park’ (1993)
Samuel L. Jackson has a relatively minor role inJurassic Park, but it marks the first time Jackson had a noticeable role in a huge blockbuster (the first of many, as time would go on to prove). He plays chief engineer Ray Arnold, one of the behind-the-scenes technicians behind the operation of the titular park.
Despite it being off-screen, Arnold’s fate is grisly and memorable, even if it meant Jackson couldn’t appear in any future installments in the franchise. Still, it showed how seamlessly Jackson could fit into a huge movie’s cast and helped pave the way for the iconic status he would continue to build throughout the 1990s as an immensely popular actor and screen legend.
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