SAMUEL L. JACKSON TURNS 76

Source: SAEED ADYANI / Netflix

Over the weekend (December 21st), one of the most widely recognized actors of his generation turned 76!

Samuel Leroy Jackson was born in Washington, D.C but was raised by his mother in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Jackson would eventually attend Morehouse College, majoring in marine biology. He switched his major to architecture before he joined a local acting group to earn extra points in a class, finally settling on drama. He began acting on stage. Upon graduation in 1972, appeared in several television films, and made his feature film debut in the blaxploitation independent film Together for Days. In 1976, he moved from Atlanta to New York and worked on stage for the next decade.

In the 1990s, Jackson really became a household name. He got his first starring role in the comedy National Lampoon’s Loaded Weapon 1. It wasn’t until he starred as Jules Winnfield in 1994’s Pulp Fiction (his 13th film) that he really broke out though. His performance in the film made him internationally recognized and he received praise from critics. He was nominated for both an Academy and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. The rest was then history, as the people say.

Jackson has since gone on to become the third highest-grossing actor of all time, with the films in which he has appeared in collectively grossing over $27 billion worldwide. He has also received numerous awards and accolades including an honorary Oscar that he was presented in 2023 (Denzel Washington presented him with the award). Jackson’s long and highly successful career has made it nearly impossible for fans to choose what their favorite characters and performances from him are. To celebrate one of the absolute goats on his 76th birthday, we put together a gallery of some of ours. Enjoy!

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO SAMUEL MF JACKSON!

1. Gator Purify in Jungle Fever (1991)

2. Louis Batiste in Eve's Bayou (1997)

3. Agent Neville Flynn in Snakes on a Plane (2006)

4. Ordell in Jackie Brown (1997)

5. Lt. Danny Roman in The Negotiator (1998)

6. Hondo Harrelson in S.W.A.T. (2003)

7. Louis in Soul Men (2008)

8. Richmond Valentine in Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)

9. Frozone in The Incredibles (2004)

10. Mace Windu in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)

11. Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-Present)

12. Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction (1994)

13. John Shaft in Shaft (2000)

14. Stephen Warren in Django Unchained (2012)

15. Darius Kincaid in The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)

16. Major Marquis Warren in The Hateful Eight

17. Doaker Charles in The Piano Lesson