It’s positively mind-boggling that an actor of Samuel L. Jackson‘s caliber has only ever been nominated for a single Academy Award, albeit the nomination being a well-deserved one for his role in 1994’s Pulp Fiction.
But, he finally got his accolade dues at the 94th Academy Awards with an Honorary Academy Award for his achievement in the field, honored for being “a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide.”
And, as it turns out, Jackson himself was probably the least excited about it, recently revealing to Variety that he prefers to jump into roles that he enjoys rather than chase Oscar-worthy performances.
I was never going to let the Oscars be a measure of my success or failure as an actor. My yardstick of success is my happiness: Am I satisfied with what I’m doing? 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.
It was that last line in particular that sparked the imagination of Twitter, with many dreaming up a Mace Windu comeback film or series.
Of the many roles the actor is known for, Star Wars fans know and love Jackson as Jedi Master Mace Windu, known for his iconic purple lightsaber, which may or may not exist solely because of Jackson strongarming George Lucas into it.
It’s hard to say if we’ll ever see Mace Windu make a comeback beyond the point in the timeline where he died, but it’s at least comforting to know that Samuel L. Jackson has all but given the green light should Star Wars ever want to bring him back.
