Ever wondered how Samuel L. Jackson became the ever-present Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Turns out it might be thanks to some seriously smart career advice from none other than Bruce Willis . Yep you heard that right. This story is too good not to share.
Bruce Willis's Genius Movie Career Advice: Find a Character You Can Always Go Back To
Samuel L. Jackson recently shared a cool story about Bruce Willis and some seriously valuable advice Willis dropped on him way back during the filming of Die Hard with a Vengeance. Imagine getting career tips from John McClane himself! Willis apparently told Jackson something along the lines of "You gotta find that one role you can always count on". He was talking about finding a character that fans love so much you can keep playing them even if other movies don't hit it big.
Willis used himself Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone as examples. He pointed out how Arnold had Terminator Stallone had Rocky and Rambo and he himself had John McClane from Die Hard. These were their anchor characters roles they could revisit and audiences would always show up. Pretty insightful right?
The Lightbulb Moment: How Bruce Willis's Words Led Samuel L. Jackson to Nick Fury and MCU Domination
Jackson admitted that at the time Willis's words were just something to think about. It wasn't until years later when Marvel offered him a nine-picture deal to play Nick Fury that it clicked. Suddenly he realized "Wait a minute I think Bruce was onto something!". Nick Fury became that character for Samuel L. Jackson the role he could always return to in the massive world of Marvel movies.
Think about it Jackson first appeared as Nick Fury way back in a post-credits scene for Iron Man in 2008. That little cameo blew up into a huge deal. He signed on for nine movies as Fury which at the time he thought was a crazy long commitment. Now Nick Fury is a staple of the MCU popping up in tons of movies and even his own TV show Secret Invasion. Bruce Willis's advice turned out to be incredibly on point and hugely lucrative for Jackson.
Nick Fury: More Than Just a Role It's a Billion-Dollar Franchise for Samuel L. Jackson
And when we say lucrative we mean seriously lucrative. The movies Samuel L. Jackson has been in as Nick Fury have raked in around $12.8 billion at the box office. Billion with a "B"! That's a lot of popcorn sales. Nick Fury isn't just a character for Jackson it's basically a super successful franchise within a franchise. It has kept him busy relevant and very very well-paid for over fifteen years. Not bad for some casual advice from Bruce Willis on a movie set.
Jackson has totally embraced his role in these big blockbuster movies. He even joked that he is not chasing Oscars anymore. For him success is about happiness and enjoying his work. He'd rather be Nick Fury or even Mace Windu swinging a lightsaber than doing "statue-chasing movies". It sounds like he found the perfect balance of fun and success thanks in part to Willis's tip.
A Nod to Bruce Willis: From Die Hard Co-Stars to Lasting Impact
It's a pretty heartwarming story especially considering Bruce Willis's retirement from acting in 2022 due to health issues. Willis's insight clearly had a massive positive impact on Samuel L. Jackson's career and legacy. It all started way back on the set of Die Hard with a Vengeance a movie that teamed them up and sparked this amazing piece of career wisdom. Sometimes the best advice comes from unexpected places and in this case it led to a billion-dollar role and a lasting friendship between two movie legends.
Samuel L. Jackson & Bruce Willis: Movies They Starred In Together
- Pulp Fiction (1994)
- Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)
- Loaded Weapon 1 (1993) (Willis uncredited cameo Jackson Headlined)
- Unbreakable (2000)
- Glass (2019)