Samuel L. Jackson is the most successful movie star in history – box office receipts prove it. However, his streak didn't quite start when Jackson started acting in the 1970s, but it definitely intensified about 20 years later when he played the philosophical assassin Jules Winnfield in Quentin Tarantino's “Pulp Fiction.”
Oh sure, Jackson has already had some memorable performances from “Do the Right Thing” to “Jurassic Park.” But “Pulp Fiction” is the moment when Samuel L. Jackson's (and Quentin Tarantino's) name became a household name. That's what makes Jackson's small role in “Goodfellas” a few years earlier – as a criminal who was barely there, quickly murdered – so surreal now. Thanks to Pulp Fiction, Jackson simply doesn't play these roles anymore.
But the role of Jules, which earned Jackson his first and only Oscar nomination, came close to not being his at all. Tarantino originally wrote Jules with Laurence Fishburne in mind to play him (plus Michael Madsen, aka Mr. Blonde from “Reservoir Dogs”, as Vincent instead of the ultimately cast John Travolta). Fishburne refused, saying years later “(He) didn't really react to the script ('Pulp Fiction').” As Tarantino recalls on “The Rewatchables” podcast, Fishburne's reps apparently told him that “Pulp Fiction” wouldn't be a good move for his career when his star was rising: 1991's “Boyz N The Hood” was a huge hit. success, and 1992's “Deep Cover” was a minor success that was nonetheless a success. Fishburne was prime man material.
After Fishburne's departure, Jackson won the role with a fiery audition. Could Fishburne have done this? Surely. He's as cool and intimidating as Jules should be, but I think his approach would be a bit different than Jackson's. Fishburne's disposition is more icy fury than fiery, while Jackson always sounds like he's on edge. Jules' final monologue in the restaurant, delivered by Fishburne, had a rather quiet calm to it, the kind you hear in Morpheus' voice as he prepares Neo (Keanu Reeves) for the reality of the Matrix.
For lack of a nail, Laurence Fishburne could have starred in Pulp Fiction
Would you believe the exact same thing happened on Die Hard With A Vengeance? Fishburne was originally offered the role of Zeus Carver, John McClane's (Bruce Willis) co-host, but Jackson eventually received the role as well. According to Tarantino (again via “The Rewatchables”), this switch is related to the “Pulp Fiction” switch. Fishburne's asking price for the role of Zeus was too high for producer Andrew Vajna, so Vajna (during the premiere of “Pulp Fiction” for Willis) offered the role to Jackson. (Fishburne, in turn, sued Cinergi Pictures, the company that produced Die Hard).
The “Blank Check” podcast episode on “Die Hard With A Vengeance” includes an extensive segment on this story and the impact these films had on the careers of Jackson and Fishburne. While Jackson was used twice as Fishburne's understudy, “Pulp Fiction” and “Die Hard With A Vengeance” were so successful that his star eclipsed Fishburne. This isn't to say that Fishburne has fallen into obscurity or anything; playing Morpheus in The Matrix has earned him a place in Hollywood history, something he is very happy about.
The biggest disappointment, however, is Fishburne Still he has not yet collaborated with Tarantino. Fishburne was Tarantino's choice for the role of Marvel superhero Luke Cage, but apparently this project did not work out. I doubt Tarantino is going to waste his tenth and supposedly final Marvel movie, but whatever this picture turns out to be, maybe he can find a place for Fishburne.
To this day, Jackson and Fishburne are still often confused with each other; Fishburne signed at least one autograph for a fan mistaken for “Sam Jackson”. The on-screen pairing of Fishburne and Jackson may finally make (white) people realize they are not the same person.
