Samuel L. Jackson Crosses Two Things Out Of His Contracts & Thinks You Should Too
As his career has gone on, Samuel L. Jackson has continued to prove why he's regarded as a cinematic icon. No matter the size of the role or nature of the project, he always puts his best foot forward and delivers unforgettable performances. Of course, for any of these scene-stealing performances to become a viewable reality, the contractual terms behind them all need to be just right. This is the Samuel L. Jackson we're talking about, so if he sees things in a contract that he doesn't like, he's not afraid to make some tweaks.
Jackson himself even highlighted two of the terms he outright crosses out during contract negotiations. "When I get a contract and it has the words 'in perpetuity' and 'known and unknown' on it: I cross that s*** out," the "Star Wars" and Marvel Cinematic Universe staple shared with Rolling Stone, urging his fellow actors to do the same regardless of their status in the industry. He doesn't approve of studios sealing the rights to his likeness, especially in a situation where they could use it even after he's dead.
Jackson's feelings on studios reviving dead actors using artificial intelligence and CGI couldn't have come at a better time considering how hot of a topic this currently is in the entertainment landscape.
When Jackson is gone, don't expect him to return to the movies like other deceased actors
As CGI technology has improved, studios have gotten increasingly ambitious with their use of it. One of the biggest trends in modern blockbusters is resurrecting deceased actors digitally so they can "play" their most iconic characters one more time. One of the most jaw-dropping examples appears in 2016's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," where Lucasfilm brings back Grand Moff Tarkin and Princess Leia using CGI and the likenesses of Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher, respectively. While the effort is impressive, both character models reside deeply within the uncanny valley and have left fans split on the ethics behind such techniques.
In the years before and since "Rogue One," moviegoers have seen numerous other long-dead actors revived for one more go at the movies. Some like it, though many others fall in the same camp as Samuel L. Jackson, voicing their dislike for this emerging technology. It's one thing to de-age an actor like "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" does with Harrison Ford or deep-fake them like "The Mandalorian" and "The Book of Boba Fett" have with Mark Hamill, but using modern tech to resurrect actors who've died — in some cases, before it even existed — is another discussion entirely.
It stands to reason that as artificial intelligence becomes a more prominent part of everyday life, CGI versions of your favorite dead actors will continue to seep into Hollywood blockbusters and TV shows alike. Thanks to his contractual tweaks, Samuel L. Jackson won't be among these uncanny, arguably disrespectful and immoral digital cameos down the road.