The 50-year-old actor has made some of his most memorable characters cultural icons. Jackson first skyrocketed to international fame in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" as the philosophical hit man, Jules. He worked again with Tarantino as the fast-talking gun dealer, Ordell in "Jackie Brown." Jackson has also appeared in a trio of Spike Lee films including "Jungle Fever" and "Do the Right Thing," "Die Hard With a Vengeance" opposite Bruce Willis, the film adaptation of the John Grisham novel, "A Time to Kill" and "Eve's Bayou" which he produced.

Cool, charismatic with a gift for gab, Jackson has led an intriguing and sometimes controversial life. He openly admits to his past drug addiction but credits his wife, LaTanya Richardson and daughter for his survival. Ultimately, Jackson loves to entertain the audience.

The Interview

Have you heard about the wacky phrases being quoted in your voice? 'Feel the force, Motherfucker!' It's one of the top ten things we want to hear Samuel L. Jackson say. It's on the Internet. I've only received it like fifty times. Another one is 'Hand me my lifesaver. It's the one that says bad Motherfucker on it.'

Since you've been in Spike Lee movies and Pulp Fiction, would it bother you if fans remember you only as a performer in Star Wars? Well, you know everybody has to be known for something. At least, three times a week somebody says to me 'Hey you know what they call a quarter pounder with cheese in France?' or 'What's in the briefcase?' So, now I'll get those two things and 'May the force be with you.' It bothers actors who are known for nothing.

What is the force? It's the harmony of the Galaxy that these people are tapped into. Therefore, when something is wrong with it, they feel it. They can say there's a tremor in this thing. You're blocking it, like Anakin is doing. He has it and we know it but there is also a block in it. Which means he's flawed in some way even though he does have all those minichlorines.

Has all the hoopla about the film and the toys gotten to you, yet? I've just back into the country so... Star Wars fans come up to me and say 'sign my doll would you?' People walking around with posters in their backpacks.

It seems Mace is the most popular of the toys? My daughter told me yesterday that it's the only one sold out. It's probably because more black people are buying them. The first one that they made before Christmas actually looks like me. This new one that talks doesn't look very much like me. I don't want to say it was a black thing. There are more brothers in this future than there were in the first one.

I noticed that. We're all in important places. Brothers who are Captain of the Queens guard. She does get captured a lot. That brother's not going to have that job for very long. [Laughs]

Is Mace your first action figure? Yeah, because I didn't have one for "Jurassic Park." They actually made some for "Jackie Brown." It was pretty cool.

Did you enjoy working with Yoda? Yoda was actually kind of cool. It was interesting to actually show up and see him there. I thought, like most people, that he was this computer-generated thing that they put in after you did your stuff. No, all the stuff I did on screen with Yoda, we actually did it. I spent a lot of time in the trailer with Frank and working out what we were going to do, how it was going to happen and when we looked at each other. The expression he needed on his face to do what he was doing. Better than a few actors I've worked with.

Did you start to think of him as real? He was [real]! To the point, where George says cut and Frank takes his hand out of him and he slumps over.

Like some of the actors you work with? Then we know what's wrong with them.

Are you signed up for the next two? No.

Your part is small so, you've got to be in the next two. You think so? Really? It could be because I went to George and said, I don't care. I'll be a storm trooper. Let me be in the movie, ok? And, it didn't matter the size of the part that I was doing. Fortunately, for me, he gave me this particular role. And, he did say on Rosie O'Donnell Show that I would have a significant part in the next one. Hopefully, I can get that tape and give it to my agent. Here you go!

Did he tell you about your part? Who Mace was? Not at all. I didn't know what I was doing until I got to London. The night before, they sent the six pages over and I read them and went to work.

Did you figure it out? I knew what my particular job was in those particular scenes and what my goals were and I just wanted to accomplish those. And, I figured if there's some particular information about Mace, it will come.

What about the Yul Brenner look? It was just how I was, at the time. He said, I like that.

Is Mace cool enough for you? Mace has to play out. Hopefully, if George is right and I am going to do these other films, we'll see how cool Mace is and whatever cool is in that time frame.

When did you see the first Star Wars? The first day! Nobody knew anything about it. The only people who were there were drug addicts. I was right there. I had my nickel bag rolled up and I had a couple cans of beers in my backpack.

You saw a different movie, then? I saw the same movie everybody else saw. The lights went down and [he makes noise of light saver and hyperspace]-It was especially cool when they did the hyperspace.

Back in the '70s, there was a lot of concern about people going to the movie while doing drugs because it was a kid's movie. At that time, nobody even knew if it was a kid's movie. It's the typical story of how it all happens anyway. When George was doing this movie, nobody believed in the movie - even the people doing it. I just did this Industrial Light &Magic special on 'Stars Wars - From Star Wars to Stars Wars' - and they talked to Harrison and these guys. They said, 'we had no idea. This was some corny little movie.' You hear, Ron Howard saying, 'George came to me and told me what he wanted to do. Yeah, space ships like those corny movies when you see the wires. Yeah, yeah, sure George.' So when they went to the movie - it wasn't full. A lot of people who'd seen the trailer thought it was this Errol Flynn adventure movie in outer space. These guys had some light swords. It looked cool to me. So, we were there. Then, all of a sudden, as the word of mouth went out - the lines didn't start for two weeks.

What is your phantom menace? The phantom menace is the phone stop ringing - as an actor.

Do you have a favorite creature? I kind of like the salesman dude. Waddo. He's fun. He's got the attitude of most salesmen. He's conniving and scheming. A different kind of slave owner. Maybe that's why I like him so much.

Do you think George Lucas is a model for the Jedi knight? I'd say George is theYoda. He's the heart and soul of the spirit of this film.

What are you working on next? I've been in Morocco making a movie, "Rules of Engagement" with Tommy Lee Jones. I'll be still working on it in Los Angeles when "Star Wars Episode 1" opens. I'm also in "Deep Blue Sea."

You're in two of the big three big summer movies? You think "Deep Blue Sea" is going to be on that level? Yes, I am in two of the big summer movies! Of course, of course, you're right. Actually, I have another movie that comes out before that - "The Red Violin." It's a Canadian art film that's won every award that you can possibly give in Canada and a few around the world.

Was this "Deep Blue Sea" hard work? It's always some laughs. Renny's [Harlin] notorious for having a fun miserable set. When I read that script, my character did not read as being as wet as I ended up being all summer. He was not wet. All of sudden, I was there and I was soaked every day. I never did a big monster movie and I always wanted to do one. I thought I was doing one when I did "Sphere" but -

What about "Shaft?" Are you still planning to do that film? We're supposed to start in August. I saw a script, which they decided, was not the right script.

Why do you want to do "Shaft?" Because he gets a lot of women. I've never had a chance to do that on screen.

What's left for Samuel Jackson? Let me think. I watch the "Godfather" three or four times a years. If they ever did one of those and those guys were smart enough to hire a John Cochran type lawyer, I'd be knocking on Francis's door. 'I'm your guy.' And, I'm still looking forward to working with a couple of really good Hong Kong directors. I still love those films - especially the crime dramas. My favorite is "Hard Boil."

Liam said, he'd never go to sci-fi convention. Would you? I'd only go to a sci-fi convention after I opened a mall. It'd have to be in the same city. I'd cut the ribbon in a mall and I'd show up in a sci-fi convention.

They'd wheel you out? Wheel me out in a chair and say, 'I'm the force! Sam, wake up.'