Samuel L. Jackson and Quentin Tarantino are thick as thieves. And the pair has made six unconventional and successful films over the years and have been working together since Pulp Fiction‘s 1994 release.
Jackson has a unique and dominating screen presence, which is perfect with Tarantino’s “offbeat storytelling style”. And the actor also manages to bring some humour into the often violent and unsettling scenes of a Tarantino film.
And technically, Jackson also features in Inglourious Basterds, however, since he is not seen and only heard as the narrator, we did not include it in the list.
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
In Tarantino’s Kill Bill Vol. 2, Jackson plays the part of Rufus, an organist who was supposed to perform at Beatrix Kiddo’s wedding.
Although his role is small, it was a smart choice from Tarantino instead of introducing a completely new character in the second instalment of the already-successful Kill Bill series.
And even though Jackson only had a few lines in a scene, he still gave a memorable performance – the perfect example of “there’s no such thing as a small part”.
Jackie Brown (1997)
Samuel L. Jackson portrays Ordell Robbie, a character who is subtlety the villain and gunrunner. And while he played the character a bit different from what audiences expected, Ordell Robbie still fits right into the Tarantino universe.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
It came as no surprise that Samuel L. Jackson did an incredible job as the Hardened civil war veteran. The film features a star-studded cast, with each one playing a complex character.
Jackson’s character, Major Marquis Warren, is the most compelling of all and leads audiences through till the end.
“He approaches Marquis with a wizened intensity that pushes the film forward and allows Jackson to use his undeniable range.”
Django Unchained (2012)
Django Unchained remains one of Tarantino’s best films and dives into cultural and racial issues as the incredible cast portrays each role to perfection.
Jackson plays the role of Stephan, head of Master Calvin’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) house. It has been said that he plays this role with a similar “villainous subtlety” as in Jackie Brown, however, it’s even more intense in Django.
“Instead of being on the side of Django and Broomhilda, he takes sides with his master Calvin, which Jackson believably plays with soul-crushing apathy and spite. Stephen is an extremely complex character when it comes to his views on society and race and Jackson tackles the antagonist with full force.”
Pulp Fiction (1994)
It can’t get more Tarantino than Pulp Fiction. And this film is definitely the most known and popular collaboration between Samuel L. Jackson and the director.
In the classic, Jackson plays a hitman, Jules, who performs “dirty deeds” with his partner Vincent (John Travolta).
“The actor brings his trademark intensity to a new level in the character of Jules.”
Between Jules having an existential crisis and quoting a fictional bible verse while holding a man at gun-point, this “sort of changeup only works with an actor who can bring brutal honesty to the screen”.