Samuel L Jackson:
'I was victim of racist cops'

28 Nov 2008 

SAMUEL L JACKSON used his own confrontations with racist cops as inspiration for his role in latest movie LAKEVIEW TERRACE.
 
The Pulp Fiction star plays bigoted policeman Abel Turner in the film, and admits his personal experiences with law enforcement officers helped him play the part.
 
He tells British newspaper The Times, "I drew on cops in my life who are like Abel. I have been pulled over legitimately because I was doing something wrong, and I been pulled over because I was black in the wrong place and my car was too nice.
 
"I have been pulled over in Mississippi; that was frightening. But the guy as like, 'Hey Mr Jackson, sorry'. I have been pulled out and spread out in the iddle of the street and laid face down.
 
"Even in L.A. cops looking at me going: 'You look familiar.' And you just otta say 'Oh, OK'. Because you don't know if he's talking about a wanted poster that he saw today or he actually saw a movie of mine and can't quite put that together."

Jackson has even stared down the barrel of a gun when confronted by thugs - but insists he uses the terrifying experiences to help his work.
 
He adds: "I've had guns pulled on me. Of course I have. It's America. People pull guns on you in America. So you use all that."