At the recent 2006 Comic-Con International, we sat down for an exclusive talk with none other than Samuel L. Jackson. Having played such iconic roles in Pulp Fiction, Shaft and as Mace Windu in the new Star Wars films, Jackson's star turn in Snakes On A Plane should surprise nobody. In this film, Jackson plays an FBI agent who is escorting a witness on a flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles when an assassin releases hundreds of deadly snakes on a commercial airplane in order to eliminate the witness. The FBI agent, along with a rookie pilot, frightened crew and passengers must then band together in a desperate attempt to survive.
At this point in your career what's more important? The Oscar or the action figure?
Samuel L. Jackson: (Laughs) At this point in my career? I don't know, I think the action figure. The action figure lasts longer. Oscar's just a moment in time, you know?
What's your favorite action figure of you?
Samuel L. Jackson: Oh... Frozone.
Did you play any snake tricks on this film?
Samuel L. Jackson: No.
You never toyed with the crew?
Samuel L. Jackson: Oh no. That's somebody elses job. We couldn't just walk in there and go, "Mind if I borrow a snake?"
Are you scared of all the Star Wars fans at an event like this? Would you consider going downstairs and signing autographs?
Samuel L. Jackson: Oh, hell no. I never even thought about it.
You said you picked this film because when you were a kid...
Samuel L. Jackson: This is the only kind of film I would have gone to see and stayed in the movies all day long.
What kind of films did you see as kid that inspired your choice to do Snakes On A Plane?
Samuel L. Jackson: Well, you know Creature From the Black Lagoon, Frankenstein vs. The Werewolf, Abbot and Costello Meet The Werewolf, stuff like that. Things you don't have to think about, you just kind of have to go and watch.
With all the internet press were you ever hoping for a snake attack on...
Samuel L. Jackson: We didn't need that. Plus, all the poisonous snakes were on 2nd Unit and we watched tape of them. If you saw that stuff you definitely wouldn't want that to happen to you.
Did you ever get the feeling with all the internet press that some people were just making fun of the movie?
Samuel L. Jackson: You know I didn't have a feeling one way or another. I didn't actually care. It was the kind of thing where I was just glad that people were aware of it, and that they were having a good time with it. That they were making their own trailers and they were making their own posters. Having a good time doing it. Seeing what their perception of me as not just an actor but as a character was. In terms of what they were putting out there or creating. It was fun for me to watch.
Snakes On A Plane opens nationwide on August 18 through New Line Cinema.
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