More from my interview with the inimitable, uproarious Samuel L. Jackson, one over the weekend, on Django Unchained press day here in NYC.
During my one-on-one session with him, in addition to a few questions about his involvement in Django, I of course asked him several non-Django-related questions.
First, if you missed part 1 of the interview, in which he revealed that his planned adaptation of Walter Mosley's The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey had attracted Rodrigo Garcia to direct, and would be made in the next 12 to 24 months, click HERE to read it.
Continuing on today with highlights from the interview, here are a few more topics we briefly covered during my short 15-minute session with him - all of these were questions that you all submitted to me to ask him:
- First, on whether we'll ever see a Snakes On The Plane 2. He replied:
I don't know. If there is, I wouldn't mind doing it. I'm down with that.
- Second, how he's able to have this "I don't give a f*ck" attitude in politically correct Hollywood/America. His response:
[Said jovially] I don't give a fuck? What? I DO give a fuck. What the fuck are you talking about? I can't be concerned about that. I can't. I work. And I work in films that I like. And I work on films that I want to see and that I want to see myself in. And so if that's what they mean by "I don't give a fuck," then I guess I don't. And I also tend to speak my mind. I don't have a real problem with saying what's going on with me and what's going on in my head, and how I feel about specific things, because I don't want to walk around with it. I don't want to be bottled up and pissed off thinking about stuff, and next thing you know, you've got an ulcer or something. Just get it out. Get it out, get it done. Everybody understands.
- Third, does he think that an actor has any responsibility to reflect his/her community? The answer to the above question should clue you in to what his answer to this one will be:
None. A story is a story. If a story comes along, and it's honest, that's about it. Even this movie [Django]. It's about our experience, historically; What happens to us, and what kind of people they were; And I have a duty to tell that honestly. And to be true to the character that's in it, and hopefully it'll reflect our history in an honest and real way. But I don't think it's up to us to make sure everyone knows who we are through our cinematic experience.
- Fourth, has he ever been asked to perform in drag, and his thoughts on other actors who do:
Yes I've been asked, and no I didn't accept. I don't think it's every actor's right of passage to have to put a dress on. But for those who do it, that's their choice. Some of them are actually good at it.
- Fifth, would he be interested in doing a follow-up to Def By Temptation:
[After a loud laughed, he said] Def. By. temptation. Oh my God. Oh my God. [He laughed some more, and after a brief pause, said] First you've got to find James Bond III [he directed the first film].
- And finally, sixth, whether he has any plans to do a TV series or TV movie?
I'm talking to some people about something like that. And if the idea is right and the time is right, that just might happen.
And that's it for today! I should note that I suggested that he keep his answers brief, so that I could get in as many of your questions as possible, since I received several, and I only had 15 minutes with him. So in some instances, I thought about asking follow-up questions, when his replies called for them, but instead opted not to, so that I could get to other questions and not spend too much time on one or two.
The last half of the interview will be posted likely tomorrow; definitely before the end of the week!
source