Samuel L. Jackson is famous for portraying bad guys in such a way that more often than not they end up receiving more love from the audience than the supposed hero itself. Pulp Fiction’s Jules Winnfield, Jackie Brown‘s Ordell Robbie, and The Hateful Eight’s Major Marquis Warren are all shady characters in one way or another and yet they and their profanity-laced dialogues are fondly remembered by fans.
However, when it comes to Django Unchained‘s Stephen, Jackson’s brilliant acting ensures he’s a universally hated character. There’s no two ways about it. Calvin Candie’s senior house slave does everything in his power to make things difficult for fellow black people, in his attempts to impress his rich white boss.
While on-screen, his character Stephen enjoys being in the good books of a privileged plantation owner, off camera, Jackson doesn’t shy away from taking aim at billionaires.
What Samuel L. Jackson Thinks About Billionaires
When Nick Fury – an army veteran and a genius strategist – talks, everyone in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even your favorite superheroes (Tony Stark and Steve Rogers), listens. Similarly, when Samuel L. Jackson talks, people take note, even if his message is filled with F-bombs here and there.
The 74-year-old doesn’t walk on eggshells when it comes to sharing political opinions – a sore subject for many PR-obsessed superstars. He has made news multiple times in the past for his colorful comments on Donald Trump and when once questioned by Esquire if he was worried about angering some fans due to his blunt comments, he told them:
“Burn my videotapes. I don’t give a f*ck.”
Recently, he attracted headlines for ranting against billionaires who dodge paying fair taxes. In an interview with Vulture in July, the Academy Honorary Award-winning actor said:
“I pay an enormous amount of taxes, and it’s fine because I know I should. But why can’t we get billionaires to pay their f*cking taxes?”
The Snakes on a Plane star added that a lot of problems could be solved if “those motherf*ckers” did their part right with regard to paying taxes. Certainly, this sentiment is shared by many individuals both in Hollywood and among the general population. Still, only a few big names are brave enough to speak their mind.
Is $250M Rich Samuel L. Jackson the Highest-Paid Actor in Hollywood?
As his aforementioned comments suggest, Jackson plays an enormous amount of taxes, which also means he makes eye-watering figures. With a net worth of $250 million, the 74-year-old is among the richest actors on the planet. However, he isn’t the highest-paid star.
Dwayne Johnson AKA The Rock sits at the very top of the list of biggest paydays. He has reportedly bagged $50 million for Amazon’s upcoming movie Red One, leaving the previous leader Robert Downey Jr. behind. The Iron Man star, who has collaborated with Jackson’s Nick several times, was paid $40 million for Captain America: Civil War.
Having said that, the Pulp Fiction star is the highest-grossing actor of all time, meaning he has probably made many studio executives billionaires. Across 142 titles, Jackson’s films have grossed a combined total exceeding $27 billion at the box office. No seasoned actor even comes close to him in this race.
Source: Vulture
