One reason Samuel L. Jackson loves working on Quentin Tarantino’s films is because “they are character-driven.” Jackson revealed his adoration of collaborating with Tarantino while the actor attended the 15th TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. Jackson discussed his big-screen team-ups with Tarantino while speaking to the Associated Press before taking the stage with Uma Thurman, John Travolta and Harvey Keitel to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pulp Fiction. Jackson said courtesy of @APEntertainment on X, formerly Twitter:
“Tarantino films are very different
in that, yes,
they are character-driven.
So, when you read a Tarantino script, you all of a sudden
find yourself knowing you’re going to have a lot to say about who you are and how you feel about things
rather than reading five pages of, ‘Okay, drive fast, look this way, the car is going over a curb.'”
Pulp Fiction
- Release Date
- September 10, 1994
- Runtime
- 154
- Studio
- Miramax Films
- Tagline
- From the creators of True Romance & Reservoir Dogs
Jackson continued in the same interview:
“So, there are
a lot more things that you have to embody as a character
and bring with you to do it. The fact that
I spent years and years and years in theater
helped me a lot to embrace what Quentin does. And he appreciates it in another way, because
he knows that I’m used to giving speeches, and I like it.”
Pulp Fiction Invented ‘Coolest Motherf—er on the Planet’
Samuel L. Jackson has appeared in many of the best Quentin Tarantino movies, having collaborated with the filmmaker a total of six times since their first team-up in 1994’s Pulp Fiction. At the 15th TCM Classic Film Festival, Jackson revealed during an on-stage Q&A that he’d first met Tarantino while auditioning for Reservoir Dogs. But when they finally did work together, it was Pulp Fiction that helped Jackson become “the coolest motherf—er on the planet.” Jackson also said to those in attendance (via Turner Classic Movies):
“I was floating along and doing well.
And this film was a great boost to me,
just working and doing it through the work […]
It changed my life drastically
in that I think this was the particular role where all of a sudden
people started thinking I was the coolest motherf—er on the planet.
So… I’m happy with that.”
Pulp Fiction Cast and Character Guide
Meet the cast and characters of Quentin Tarantino’s magnum opus.
During the TCM Pulp Fiction 30th anniversary celebration, Jackson’s co-star, John Travolta, also weighed in on how important Tarantino’s indie crime film was to the second chapter in the Hollywood A-lister’s own career. Travolta said in the same interview:
“I mean, I had a great first chapter, and I was desperately looking for a second one.
And he [Tarantino] took me to the moon and back.
After that,
it was mind-boggling the opportunities that came my way.
I mean,
it’s only something an actor can only fantasize about: What happened after that for me: It was next level,
you know? And I could go on for hours […] Just know,
it was quite something for me.”
