Samuel Leroy Jackson was born December 21, 1948 in Washington, D.C.

He spent his childhood as an only child in Chattanooga, Tennessee with his mother, Elizabeth Jackson (née Montgomery), who was a factory worker and later a supplies buyer for a mental institution, and his maternal grandparents and extended family.

He graduated in 1972 at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he co-founded the "Just Us Theatre".

During his university he had several small roles, but the great opportunity came in 1981 when, during a performance in the play A Soldier's Play, Jackson was introduced to director Spike Lee.

In 1990 he played a minor role in the Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas and also worked as a stand-in on The Cosby Show for Bill Cosby.

After completing these films, Jackson's cocaine addiction worsened to the point where he overdosed, and his family entered him into a New York rehab clinic.

In 1994 he played a major role in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction and for this performance, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as well as a Golden Globe nomination and a BAFTA Best Supporting Actor award win.

Jackson has since appeared in over 70 films including, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Jackie Brown, The Incredibles, Black Snake Moan, as well as the Star Wars prequel trilogy. Jackson's many roles have made him one of the highest grossing actors at the box office. Jackson has won multiple awards throughout his career and has been portrayed in various forms of media including films, television series, and songs.

On June 13, 2000, Jackson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and in 2006 he was honored with a hand and footprint ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theater.

In 1980 he married actress Latanya Richardson, whom he met while attending Morehouse College.The couple, who live in Los Angeles, California, have a daughter.

Jackson is bald, but enjoys wearing unusual wigs in his films. For the film Black Snake Moan, he was allowed to choose the hairstyle he wanted for his character.