How Samuel L. Jackson Prepares His Characters 

By Webmaster

  • How Samuel L. Jackson Prepares His Characters

    ‘I read the script and create a biography for myself’ – Samuel L. Jackson

    (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips)

    (Samuel L. Jackson)

    Samuel L. Jackson has dozens of memorable film credits to his name, thanks to a career that has spanned more than five decades. His most popular films include Pulp Fiction, Snakes on a Plane, Kong: Skull Island, Coming to America, Django: Unchained and The Negotiator.

    This is how Jackson describes his process of developing his characters, as told by Jackson on the Howard Stern Show:


    “I sit at home. I read the script, maybe, four or five times. Then I go back into it. And create a biography for myself, from info that’s in the script and things that I’m able to make up about the character because of his relationships with other people or what he says about himself.”

    “You have a lot of stuff to bring to the set with you. Where the character’s coming from, what he was doing before he got to this situation, where he’s going when he leaves that situation, what kind of food he might want to eat while he’s there or before he got there. It can be that specific, yeah.”

    “You change your walk, because you like somebody’s character walk. I remember my hairdresser, Robert. Robert’s sister had this red hair that was kind of knotty. And when I saw it, I told him, ‘Take a picture of your sister’s hair, ‘cause I want to use that in a movie one day. And I ended up using it in The Negotiator (1997).”

    “That’s why I love riding the subway. I still love riding the subway when I’m here (in New York). Because, I like looking at people. I ride around in cars when I’m in other cities and check out the area or the kind of culture that’s different from where I am.”


    You Might Also Like:
    Top 10 List of Actors Who Found Fame Later in Life


     

    Recommended Posts

  • Ad

  • 12 Inspirational Quotes by Morgan Freeman

    12 Inspirational Quotes by Morgan Freeman “Sometimes things always look darkest just before the dawn.” ~ Morgan Freeman (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) “I always tell my kids if you lay down, people will…

    25 Great Quotes About Acting

    25 Great Quotes About Acting These quotes serve as poignant reminders of the depth, vulnerability, and magic that acting embodies (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Patrick Fore | Unsplash) Acting, often dubbed the art…

    14 Inspirational Quotes by Stella Alder

    14 Inspirational Quotes by Stella Alder Her powerful advice to actors… (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Stella Adler) “No actor is a success unless he feels inside himself, as long as he lives, that…

    11 Inspirational Quotes by Meryl Streep

    11 Inspirational Quotes by Meryl Streep “Keep going. Start by starting.” ~ Meryl Streep (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) “The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy. Empathy…

    15 Inspirational Quotes by Robert De Niro

    15 Inspirational Quotes by Robert De Niro His powerful advice to actors… (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) Go for your dreams… “Time goes on. So whatever you’re going to do, do it. Do it…

  • Ad

  • Nicolas Cage’s Best Acting Advice

    Nicolas Cage’s Best Acting Advice Inspirational quotes by Nicolas Cage (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) “Actors, their greatest tool, their greatest resource is imagination. You can take things, powerful objects, you can recruit your…

    Ann Dowd: “Celebrate the small victories.”

    Ann Dowd: “Celebrate the small victories.” (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) “All I ever wanted was a successful career as an actress.” “I look at all these wonderful actors who are out of work,…

    Morgan Freeman: | ‘Stillness is the hardest thing for actors to do.’

    Morgan Freeman: ‘Stillness is the hardest thing for actors to do.’ Morgan Freeman on the importance of keeping your acting simple (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) “There’s no mystery to it (acting). Nothing more…

  • Ad

  • Will Smith: What’s the point of being realistic?”

    Will Smith: What’s the point of being realistic?” (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Will Smith) “If you say in your mind, ‘It can’t happen,’ you’re DONE! You’re training yourself to not even be able…

    25 Inspirational Quotes by Will Smith

    25 Inspirational Quotes by Will Smith “The first step is you have to say that you can.”   ~Will Smith (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Will Smith) On going for your dreams… “You have to…

    25 Inspirational Quotes by Denzel Washington

    25 Inspirational Quotes by Denzel Washington “If you don’t fail, you’re not even trying.”  ~Denzel Washington (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Denzel Washington in Fences) On failure… “Fail big! Today’s the beginning of the…

    Ryan Gosling Describes the Impossible Gauntlet That Every Actor Must Survive

    Ryan Gosling Describes the Impossible Gauntlet That Every Actor Must Survive ‘The percentage of actors achieving that dream is never.’ ~Ryan Gosling (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Ryan Gosling) Ryan Gosling may be a…

    Viola Davis: | ‘The most powerful question an actor can ask themselves is, Why?’

    Viola Davis: ‘The most powerful question an actor can ask themselves is, Why?’ (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Viola Davis) “Most people will say, ‘Just go out there and do it (become an actor)….

  • Ad

  • Sonequa Martin-Green: “Whatever your flaws are, as a person, they will be reflected in your acting.”

    Sonequa Martin-Green: “Whatever your flaws are, as a person, they will be reflected in your acting.” (Sonequa Martin-Green) “The further I go in this business, the more I realize that, the type of…

    Jeff Bridges: | “A large part of acting is just pretending” 

    Jeff Bridges: “A large part of acting is just pretending” (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) “Making films is sort of like you’re pulling off a magic trick. It’s sort of like an illusion. It’s…

    Liam Neeson: “The name of the game is rejection.” 

    Liam Neeson: “The name of the game is rejection.” (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Liam Neeson) “For every successful actor or actress, there are countless numbers who don’t make it. The name of the…

  • Ad

  • 15 Inspirational Quotes by Sanford Meisner 

    15 Inspirational Quotes by Sanford Meisner “The foundation of acting is the reality of doing.” – Sanford Meisner (By Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Johannes Plenio | Pexels) Sanford Meisner came along in the 1940’s…

    10 Actors Discuss Their Love for Acting 

    10 Actors Discuss Their Love for Acting If you need some inspiration, here are 10 famous actors discussing their love for the craft (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Photo: Cottonbro | Pexels) Go to…

    Konstantin Stanislavski: “Live the Part”

    Konstantin Stanislavski: “Live the Part” (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Konstantin Stanislavski) “In our art you must live the part every moment that you are playing it, and every time.” The following is an…

    OPINION | Same-Day Auditions Feel Disrespectful 

    OPINION  Same-Day Auditions Feel Disrespectful  Don’t they understand that we all have lives?  (The Anonymous Actor) (Photo: Andrea Piacquadio | Pexels) Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m certainly grateful for each and every…

    Denzel Washington: “You only live once. So do what you feel passionate about.” 

    Denzel Washington: “You only live once. So do what you feel passionate about.” Denzel Washington on the importance of matching goals to your dreams (Arranged by Carmichael Phillips) (Denzel Washington in Fences) “Fail…

  • Ad