“I was a f**king drug addict”: Samuel L. Jackson Claimed Drugs Delayed His $250M Movie Career
Samuel L. Jackson is perhaps the greatest actor in the industry today. He has several fantastic films under his belt and a huge fan base that absolutely loves his work. Jackson is extremely talented and his filmography is filled with iconic films.
However, Samuel L. Jackson had a rough start to his career. He revealed that he was addicted to drugs and that made life a living hell for him. Sadly, it also hindered his career and the star claims that his addiction issues delayed his breakthrough to Hollywood superstardom. Nevertheless, he managed to control his illness and bravely broke out of his addiction. In an interview, the Hollywood icon reveals sobering details of his drug addiction and how it affected his movie career.
Samuel L. Jackson Admits He Was Satisfied as an Actor
Samuel L. Jackson’s contribution to Hollywood can be gauged by the fact that his films have grossed more than $27B worldwide. He also has several awards to his name. A cultural icon, his prominent films include The Incredibles, Goodfellas, Do the Right Thing, and Die Hard with a Vengeance among others. He has also featured in prominent roles in many television series. But according to reports, the actor struggled during the early years of his acting career. He became a drug and alcohol addict, and he eventually became depressed.
Samuel L. Jackson admits in an interview with The Guardian that he has never walked on stage without substance. He said,
“I had a very good theatre reputation. Granted, I was a f**king drug addict and I was out of my mind a lot of the time, but I had a good reputation.”
He continued,
“I showed up on time, knew my lines, and hit my marks. I just wasn’t making a lot of money, but I was very satisfied artistically. I was doing Pulitzer Prize-winning plays. I was working with people who made me better, who challenged me.”
He concluded,
“So I was doing things the right way, it was just that one thing that was in the way – my addiction. And once that was out of the way, it was – boom! The door blew wide open.”
The True Romance actor recalls being concerned that his career would suffer as a result of his drug addiction treatment. He stated that he entered rehab to overcome his addiction for the sake of his career.
Samuel L. Jackson Says His Wife Helped Him Through Difficult Times
Samuel L. Jackson has an intriguing character that has fascinated millions of fans throughout his acting career. According to reports, the actor never told his family about his drug addiction. The Pulp Fiction star believed he was happy as an actor and earning well enough to deal with his addiction issues. But things get tough, and his wife LaTanya Richardson supported him through thick and thin.
The actor shared,
“I’ve always had my wife LaTanya, who’s my harshest critic. She’d say, you’re so intelligent that the first time you read something, you think you understand it intellectually and emotionally, then you find the vocal inflections and the facial expressions – and you can get there with that.”
He continued,
“But there’s no blood in it. And I’m like: It’s all fuckin make-believe, what in the hell are you talking about?’ And it wasn’t until I got sober that I knew fully what she meant.”
He added,
“Before, I used to do stuff on stage and kinda look for the reaction from the audience – ‘Aha! I got ’em good that time!’ And once I was able to ignore that, and focus on the relationships with the people I was onstage with, I was finally able to blossom into whatever I might think I am now.”
Secret Invasion, starring Samuel L. Jackson, will debut on Disney+ on June 21.
Source: The Guardian
