January 25, 2024

Samuel L. Jackson Made Sure He Made $1M More Than Oscar-Winning Co-star

“I specifically had a clause in my contract that said I had to make a million more dollars than him because he doesn’t put [people] in seats"

Some consider Samuel L. Jackson one of the greatest actors to have appeared on screen. Though he has been able to get butts into movie theater seats with his great talent, it didn’t necessarily equate to winning an Oscar. Up until two years ago in 2022, an Oscar had always eluded the man who has appeared in more than 150 films over his career. Yet, like many other performers, he always felt that winning an Oscar would lead to making more money, but then he realized that that thinking was not right for him. He was so sure he would get people in the movie theater that he once placed a clause in one of his contracts stating he was to make a million more than a co-star who had won an Oscar.

According to Showbiz Cheatsheet, the movie veteran discussed why his thinking changed about being rewarded more money upon winning an Oscar. He realized the importance of his presence in a movie has more of an impact than him having an Oscar on his résumé.

“I remember doing a movie with an Academy Award winner,” he mentioned. “I specifically had a clause in my contract that said I had to make a million more dollars than him because he doesn’t put [people] in seats — I do. It’s knowing who you are and what you’re doing.”

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 2022, he confirmed that winning an Oscar wasn’t as big a deal as he thought.

“As jaded as I wanted to be about it, you know, thinking, ‘Well, I should have won an Oscar for this or should have won for that, and it didn’t happen,’ once I got over it many years ago, it wasn’t a big deal for me. I always have fun going to the Oscars. I always look forward to getting a gift basket for being a presenter.”

Although not having an Academy Award hasn’t stunted his career, People reported two years ago, in March 2022, that Samuel L. Jackson finally received his first Oscar! The 73-year-old was presented with an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement by Denzel Washington at the Governors Awards.