How many movies has Samuel L Jackson been in?

Samuel L Jackson blasted into the public consciousness as a movie star in the mid-1990s with the one-two punch of Pulp Fiction and Die Hard with a Vengeance. From that point on, there has barely been a moment when Jackson has been away from our screens. He’s one of the most prolific actors, averaging at least five films yearly for the past three decades.

Indeed, his ubiquity has been so enduring that cinephiles will often joke that it seems like he’s in everything. Now, the man isn’t in every film released by Hollywood, but he stars in more than his fair share – and shows no signs of slowing down. The running total of Jackson’s movies is more than impressive.

One of the most fascinating things about Jackson is that he stars in all kinds of movies, from crime dramas to horror flicks, from action movies to historical epics, from comedies to westerns, and sci-fi films to superhero blockbusters. If you watch movies with any kind of regularity, there is a Jackson for you, whether you gravitate toward Hollywood’s most mainstream fare or off-the-beaten-path arthouse pictures.

This ability to fit so well in any kind of film imaginable has served Jackson extremely well – after all, he is the world’s most successful actor. In December 2018, Applied Network Science used an algorithm to establish the most influential actors on pop culture, and Jackson beat out Tom Cruise and Clint Eastwood for the top spot. Then, when Box Office Mojo calculated the total takings of all of Jackson’s movies in March 2024, it was discovered that his films have made a mind-boggling $14.6billion worldwide. To put this into further context, that number only included the 66 films where he played the lead role or was part of the lead ensemble – and it was still enough to rank him higher than anyone else.

What is it that drives Jackson to work so much, though? Why does he still sign up for so many films when he could afford to be pickier? Well, that’s easy: he loves his job. He once told Gentleman’s Journal, “A painter will get up and paint. A writer’s gonna write. I’m Samuel L Jackson. I’m gonna act!”

A strong work ethic was instilled in Jackson from childhood. He told Daily Actor, “I grew up in a working-class family. When I was a kid, all the adults in my house got up and went to work every day. I assumed that’s what grown people do. That’s what I do. I just happen to have a very interesting job that’s kind of cool.”

Despite all his success, Jackson admits he still has the same fears that all actors suffer from in their darker moments. He confessed, “My biggest fear is not going to work. I’m still that actor. I tell myself that the phone stops ringing for everybody, doesn’t it?” With this in mind, as long as he’s in demand and he’s able to act to a high level, Jackson will show up to work.

So, how many movies has Samuel L Jackson been in?

This genuine love for doing the work is why, as of December 2024, Jackson has starred in a whopping 149 movies. Amazingly, his average of five movies per year holds even in 2024 and at 75. This year alone, Jackson has been a part of Argylle, Damaged, The Piano Lesson, The Unholy Trinity, and lent his voice to The Garfield Movie.

Amusingly, Jackson has always been honest that he has no qualms about watching his own movies – perhaps because there are so many to choose from. Unlike some actors who claim to be too self-conscious to watch their own performances, Jackson told Time magazine in 2006, “I dig watching myself work.” He added, “If you can’t stand to watch yourself work, then why should people pay $12.50 to watch you work?”

Some of Jackson’s favourites from his own career are A Time to Kill, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Jackie Brown, One Eight Seven, The Red Violin, and – hilariously – Deep Blue Sea. He once told Stephen Colbert, “If I’m channel surfing and I haven’t found anything I want to watch, or I’m not specifically looking for something, and I pass something I’m in, I stop and watch it.”

…and what is Samuel L Jackson’s highest-grossing movie?

One of the primary reasons for Jackson’s box office dominance, of course, is his recurring role as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A lifelong comics fan, Jackson has played the eye patch-clad superspy in 11 films, beginning with 2008’s Iron Man. His most recent appearance came in 2023’s The Marvels.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Jackson’s highest-grossing movie is a Marvel joint – 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, to be exact, which racked up $2.8billion at the worldwide box office.

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