Bruce Willis once shared invaluable career advice with Samuel L. Jackson many years ago.
The pair, both iconic figures in Hollywood, co-starred in the film Die Hard with a Vengeance, which they shot together in New York during 1994.
This film was the third installment in the Die Hard series, with Willis returning to his iconic role as John McClane.
In contrast, Jackson became part of the beloved film as Zeus Carver, who aids McClane in his mission.
During the production, Willis imparted some noteworthy advice to Jackson, drawing from his own success in the Die Hard films.
In an interview with Vanity Fair celebrating Willis’ 70th birthday — which was on March 19 — Jackson recounted the advice he received from Willis years ago.
“He told me, ‘Hopefully you’ll be able to find a character that, when you make bad movies and they don’t make any money, you can always go back to this character everybody loves,” the Pulp Fiction star remembered.
“He said, ‘Arnold’s got Terminator. Sylvester’s got Rocky, Rambo. I’ve got John McClane.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, okay.’ And it didn’t occur to me until I got that Nick Fury role — and I had a nine-picture deal to be Nick Fury — that, ‘Oh, I’m doing what Bruce said. I’ve got this character now’.”
Jackson first assumed the role of Nick Fury in 2008’s Iron Man.
Since then, he has become a crucial part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the films he’s been part of reportedly generating a remarkable $12.8 billion, according to CNBC.
Jackson appears to relish playing the character and is content with his role as Fury in the Marvel films, despite the slim chance of winning prestigious awards.
“I was never going to let the Oscars be a measure of my success or failure as an actor,” he explained to the Los Angeles Times in 2022. Instead, he values ‘happiness’ more.
Jackson elaborated: “I’m not doing statue-chasing movies. ‘If you do this movie, you’ll win an Oscar.’ No, thanks. I’d rather be Nick Fury. Or having fun being Mace Windu with a lightsaber in my hand.”
Though Jackson hasn’t received any accolades for his portrayal of Fury, despite his excellent performance, it wasn’t until Black Panther’s release that Marvel films began receiving significant awards.
The 2018 film earned three Oscars, and in 2023 its sequel, Wakanda Forever, led to Angela Bassett winning a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
Additionally, Ruth Carter received the award for Best Costume Design for Wakanda Forever.