How Samuel L. Jackson Became The Highest-Grossing Actor Of All Time

Publish date: 2024-06-30

Highlights

Samuel L. Jackson is the highest-grossing leading actor in Hollywood, with his films collectively making over $27 billion worldwide.
Jackson's breakthrough role came in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction , which solidified his status as a Hollywood superstar and earned him critical acclaim.
His involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, particularly as Nick Fury, has contributed to his box office success, with the MCU films grossing over $18 billion worldwide.

If charisma were a currency, Samuel L. Jackson would be the wealthiest man in Hollywood, and the veteran actor is a box-office dynamo like no other.

His mere presence on a theatrical poster virtually guarantees a good time at the movies. But Jackson's journey in Hollywood was not without struggle; the Django Unchainedovercame an addiction to crack cocaine to build a remarkable filmography, unparalleled in modern popular culture.

With his iconic voice and his characteristic baldness, Jackson has entertained audiences for the past 25 years.

The Honorary Academy Award winner is the highest-grossing leading actor in the industry; he has featured in over 120 movies that have collectively amassed $5.76 billion in North America and a staggering $27 billion worldwide.

Samuel L. Jackson has appeared in 52 supporting roles, and unsurprisingly, a substantial portion of his box office success comes from his roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), where nine of his films are among the highest-grossing of the past decade.

The Highest-Grossing Movies Of Samuel L. Jackson's Acting Career

Samuel L. Jackson has been in the game for quite some time and has starred in several blockbusters.

Early Life And Entry Into Hollywood

Samuel Leroy Jackson was born in 1948 and raised in Washington, DC. As a child, he struggled with stuttering and dyslexia (and would occasionally use swear words to get through his speech block), but would later find solace in acting.

His activism started in his youth as he attended several segregated schools, and he was present at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral as an usher. Jackson studied drama at Morehouse College, where he joined an acting group; however, after taking a public speaking class and featuring in a version of The Threepenny Opera, he switched his major to drama and graduated in 1972.

Jackson began his acting career on the stage, appearing in several stage productions, like A Soldier's Play. He also performed in Off-Broadway productions of Mother Courage And Her Children.

Jackson made his feature film debut in Michael Schultz-directed independent film Together For Days in 1972. After playing other minor roles, he moved from Atlanta to New York in 1976.

In the Big Apple, he appeared in stage productions like The Piano Lesson and Two Trains. Between 1976 and 1991, he was cast in several television shows such as Movin' On, The Displaced Person, and Dead Man Out.

Jackson worked as a night guard at New York's Manhattan Plaza complex to supplement his income while continuing to audition for roles, as he struggled to find consistent work

Rise To International Fame

Samuel L. Jackson's breakthrough came in 1991 with his role as Gator in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever – after Lee had cast him in minor roles in Ragtime, School Daze, and Do the Right Thing.

His performance in Gator garnered him praise among critics, and these roles showcased his ability to tackle complex characters with depth and authenticity. He followed this up with scene-stealing roles in Jurassic Park (1993), True Romance (1993), and a supporting role in Gene Quintano's Loaded Weapon in 1993.

In 1994, Samuel L. Jackson's career took a significant turn when he landed the role of Jules Winnfield in Quentin Tarantino's modern-day masterpiece Pulp Fiction. The role propelled him into cinematic stratosphere, and earned him widespread acclaim and critical recognition.

His portrayal of the charismatic hitman won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and also earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, solidifying his status as a Hollywood superstar. In addition to his work on the big screen, Jackson has also appeared on television.

Pulp Fiction grossed $213 million at the box office on the back of an $8.5 million production budget.

Following the success of Pulp Fiction, Jackson went on to appear in several other high-profile films, including Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995), A Time to Kill (1996), The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996), and Jackie Brown (1997), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination.

He had a recurring role on the hit series Touched by an Angel from 1995 to 1997, and lent his voice to several animated series. He played Jedi Master Mace Windu in Star Wars: Phantom Menace and reprised his role in other entries of the franchise.

In 2000, Jackson landed a leading role in the remake of Shaft, and also appeared alongside Bruce Willis in Unbreakable. In addition to these roles, Jackson has also starred in many critically acclaimed films, including Tarantino's Django Unchained (2012), The Hateful Eight (2015), and Glass (2019).

He has also done voice acting work for films such as The Incredibles (2004).

Highest Grossing Works

Jackson's unparalleled box office success is a testament to his wide-ranging appeal. His involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Nick Fury has undoubtedly contributed to his status as the highest-grossing actor.

He has portrayed a wide range of characters throughout his career, effortlessly transitioning from intense dramas to action-packed blockbusters. In 2009, Guinness World Records named Samuel L. Jackson the highest-grossing film actor of all time, calculating profits in excess of $7.4 billion at the box office.

His highest-grossing films include movies such asA Time To Kill, The Incredibles, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Rob Cohen's XXX.

Jackson appeared in a post-credits scene after Iron Man, his first appearance as Nick Fury in the MCU.

He reprised the role in ten other MCU movies (including some of the highest-grossing films of all time) such as Avengers: Endgame ($2.79 billion).

Jackson has appeared in eleven MCU films, which have grossed over $18 billion worldwide; this makes him the highest-grossing actor in the MCU franchise.

In 2018, Jackson lent his voice to Incredibles 2, reprising his role as superhero Frozon. The movie was commercially successful, grossing $1.2 billion worldwide.

His appearances in Jurassic Park and Star Wars proved that even prehistoric creatures and distant galaxies were no match for his versatile and charismatic appeal.

Samuel L. Jackson has truly conquered Hollywood's financial frontier, making him the highest-grossing actor – with a swagger that is out of this world.