Samuel L. Jackson is one of the most recognized and beloved actors of our time. Over the years, the 73-year-old has been showered with adulation and has won countless awards for his on-screen performances. However, for the veteran star, one career prize — a “Star Wars” lightsaber with a unique engraving referencing another iconic role — has many curious as to how he landed one.
In a 2013 interview on “The Graham Norton Show,” the actor shared that the prop he used in the movie had a message on it inspired by his “Pulp Fiction” role as Jules Winnfield. In the 1994 Quentin Tarantino film, Winnfield has a wallet that says “Bad Mother F-cker” on it.” I have the real one at home that says ‘bad motherfucker’ right here,” the actor said at the time, while holding a toy replica of his character’s purple lightsaber.
While appearing on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” earlier this week, Jackson clarified that it wasn’t his idea to put the “Pulp Fiction” reference on the fictional space weapon. “They did that because they loved me; I didn’t ask for it.”
Jackson revealed that “When the shoot was over when they presented it to me, it had ‘BMF’ on the on-off button.” When Fallon asked the “A Time to Kill” star what the acronym stood for, Jackson joked, “Bad, my friend.”
Fallon later showed off the nifty relic with the three letters BMF before pointing out, “Now that’s what I’m talking about! That’s love for Samuel L. Jackson right there!”
“It was!” Jackson laughed in agreement.
Jackson’s performance in the ’90s cult classic is one of his most memorable roles to date. The film ultimately received a stunning seven Oscar nominations at the 1995 Academy Awards, with the actor earning a nom for Best Supporting Actor. The film failed to take home any wins.
Recently the “Glass” star spoke out about that loss during an interview with Britain’s “The Times,” telling the publication that he “should have won” and expressing that Black stars only won Oscars for doing humiliating things in movies.
“I guess Black folk usually win for doing despicable s–t on screen,” the star said. “Like Denzel [Washington] for being a horrible cop in ‘Training Day.’ All the great stuff he did in uplifting roles like ‘Malcolm X’? No; we’ll give it to this motherf-cker. So maybe I should have won one. But Oscars don’t move the comma on your cheque – it’s about getting asses in seats, and I’ve done a good job of doing that.”
