In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, iconic actor Samuel L. Jackson discussed the impact of the 2016 election on his Marvel co-star, Brie Larson, during their time filming “Kong: Skull Island” together. Jackson, known for his portrayal of Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, shared how he and Larson bonded over their shared struggles during the challenging production of the film.
Reflecting on their friendship, Jackson revealed that during the filming of Larson’s movie “Unicorn Store,” he had a conversation with her in the makeup trailer where she was trying to recruit another actor for the project. Jackson jokingly questioned why she hadn’t considered him for the role, to which Larson responded that she didn’t think he would be interested. Jackson quickly agreed to join the film, and their camaraderie grew from there.
The conversation then shifted to the 2016 election, and Jackson expressed how Trump’s victory had a significant impact on Larson. He described how she was deeply affected by the outcome, and he felt compelled to uplift her spirits. Jackson shared that he encouraged Larson not to let the results break her and emphasized the importance of her strength in the face of adversity.
Larson faced criticism upon the release of “Captain Marvel” for her vocal support of diversity and the significance of representation in the film industry. Jackson defended Larson against those who attacked her feminist views, dismissing them as individuals who simply disliked strong women. He praised Larson’s authenticity, asserting that she would not allow any negativity to deter her from being true to herself and expressing her opinions.
We had done Kong together, which was not the most wonderful experience for either of us. We became great friends during that particular experience because we were having such a hard time.”
Then, when she was doing her movie [Unicorn Store] and trying to get a particular actor, I was in the makeup trailer with her and was like, ‘Why are you trying to hire this other actor and not trying to get me to do your movie?’ She said, ‘I didn’t think you’d ever do it… so, will you?’ And I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’”
Furthermore, in the interview, Jackson made a comparison between Trump and the racist individuals he encountered during his upbringing, labeling them as “rednecks.” According to Jackson, he sees parallels between the former president and the discriminatory attitudes he faced growing up. He expressed his belief that the Republican Party, in his eyes, perpetuates this harmful mentality towards marginalized communities.
