From the Wiki: According to former Death Row Records chief engineer Rick Clifford, George Lucas was eyeing Tupac to star in his return to the “Star Wars” saga. Lucas had asked Jackson to ask Shakur to audition but due to Shakur’s untimely death the role ultimately went to Samuel L. Jackson. The character’s bald appearance could have also been an homage to Shakur.
I don’t think Samuel L Jackson really felt the burden, and i doubt Tupac would have either
tbf, he was part of it. That was one of the weakest performances he’s ever phoned in. His Mace Windu barely feels like he even actually cares. Some of his line deliveries too, are kinda … odd?
no character development, not relatable. blame the source material, not the actor this time.
I mean, his actual acting was fairly wooden as well. He’s a good actor, he was capable of much better in that situation.
One of the worst casting decisions ever.
He should have been cast as one of the roughest, toughest, meanest drifter/scoundrel type characters ever. It would have been amazing if he was the grittier, menacing Han Solo character who protects anakin at all costs.
Wesley Snipes could’ve pulled off Windu. He brings the energy, and has the martial arts background to help convincingly pull off the tranquil master trope when he wants.
True, but my point still stands, his career was not really hurt by his involvement or performance in the movies
Yeah, it didn’t hurt many careers at all, now that you mention it. Catapulted Natalie Portman’s, even. Though she actually did do a pretty good job as Padme.
I think all of that was him being directed to playing out a role as a Master Jedi. You have to remember before those movies the only actors that were able to really flesh out how a Jedi acts is Alec Guiness as obi wan and a puppet name Yoda. It was new territory. So you get this plain mannerism that is calm but absolute. Samuel was trying to convey that somehow and it just came out odd, probably partly because it was motherfukkin Samuel L Jackson doing it. Where as when Alec Guiness did it, the oddness just worked with the actor.
It also just doesn’t play to Jackson’s strengths at all, which are mostly in his skill with dialogue and emotion. I don’t blame him exclusively for it, but it was unquestionably a terrible acting performance that was delivered.
It was probably dozens of people’s faults, of which he is just one.