Ben Mendelsohn did not hold back his admiration while sharing his impression of his Secret Invasion co-star Samuel L. Jackson, who he says is delightfully unpretentious despite his status as a towering figure in modern cinema.
Per Collider, Mendelsohn reflected on Jackson’s craft as an actor and ranking as the highest-grossing actor ever.
“Here’s the thing, Sam is the world champion box office human. I don’t think anyone’s ever going to beat him. To most people, Sam came out of nowhere in Jungle Fever, where he just blew us away. His place in popular culture is that he’s just the best.
Mendelsohn also described how fun and approachable Jackson can be when he trusts someone while reminiscing about a duet they sang together.
“Once Sam has actually gotten to feel you out, I had a ball. I have a ball working with him. There are people you’re never gonna beat. You’re just never gonna beat them. Sam is just fun. I sang Poison Ivy on set with him, word for word. He sat there singing “Poison Ivy.” I’ll never forget that. It was Samuel L. Jackson. It was fucking awesome. I just feel very lucky.”
Secret Invasion is a highly anticipated television series based on the eponymous Marvel Comic. Jackson reprises the role of spymaster Nick Fury, the former S.H.I.E.L.D. boss and founder of the Avengers. Mendelsohn stars as Talos, the commander of a group of displaced shapeshifting aliens called Skrulls. MCU fans first encounter Talos in Captain Marvel. The show is the ninth expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for television and will be in lockstep with the Phase Five narrative. It will tell the story of Fury’s effort to build a coalition to resist an extraterrestrial attack.
Mendelsohn passionately believes that Jackson deserves more recognition for his outstanding contributions to the film industry. Incredibly, despite his extraordinary career, Jackson was not formally recognized by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences until he received an honorary Oscar statuette in 2022.
However, Mendehlson is in unwavering awe of Jackson as an artist and says that his presence on set motivated him to elevate his performances in the scenes they shared.
“My job is to try and be as good as I can and handle as much as I can, so that it’s better and better and better for Sam. Sam doesn’t get enough credit for what he does. He doesn’t get enough credit or recognition. It would be hard for him to get the degree of recognition that he deserves for his mighty achievements. He’s done so much and he’s been so awesome, for so long. He’s a God. And he’s a cool God.”
The series boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Cobie Smulders, Emilia Clarke, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Don Cheadle, Olivia Colman, and Martin Freeman.
Secret Invasion premieres on June 21, 2023, on Disney Plus.
