Nov 27, 2008, 11:40 GMT
Samuel L. Jackson's drug habit helped him break into Hollywood.
Samuel L. Jackson's drug habit helped him break into Hollywood.© Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos
The actor revealed his battle with illegal substances in the 80s helped him play a convincing crack cocaine addict in 1991's 'Jungle Fever'.
He said: "I got my big break when I had smoked enough crack to do all the research. And then I won the New York Film Critics' Film Award and suddenly Hollywood was going, 'Who is that?' And I got invited to lunch."
Jackson, who had quit drugs by the time he landed the role as Gator in the movie, claims he was so believable producers asked to meet with him to ensure he wasn't still an addict.
The 59-year-old star has also spoken about the racism which is still rife in America, saying police have stopped him and pulled out their guns because of the expensive car he is driving.
Jackson added to Britain's Times 2: "I have been pulled over legitimately and I have been pulled over because I was black and in the wrong place and my car was too nice.
"Cops are looking at me and saying, 'You look familiar.' And you just have to say, 'oh, OK'. Because you don't know if he is talking about a wanted poster that he saw today or he actually saw a movie of mine. I have had guns pulled on me, of course I have."
Jackson can next be seen in thriller 'Lakeview Terrace', in which he plays a police officer who terrorises an interracial couple who have moved in next door to him.
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