Fun Fact: Samuel L. Jackson was 40 years old when he broke into the A-list with his iconic turn as smooth-talking, God-fearing hitman Jules Winfield in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. After his star-making performance as Winfield, Jackson became one of the most in-demand actors in the entire business. And while he's played a diverse array of characters in his now legendary career- including one of the most despicable villains in cinema history as Steven in Django Unchained– the aura of unflappable coolness that pervades his performance as Jules unintentionally characterized a litany of Jackson's roles post-Pulp Fiction. In short, Jules Winfield was a once-in-a-lifetime character that changed Samuel L. Jackson's professional life.
Now here's the curve ball; Quentin Tarantino originally wanted Laurence Fishburne to play Jules before Samuel L. Jackson took the role. In the video linked above, Tarantino explains how and why Laurence Fishburne turned down the role and the serendipitous consequences of that choice.
