Samuel L. Jackson Says He'd 'Rather Be Nick Fury' Than Do 'Statue-Chasing Movies'

Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

Samuel L. Jackson is happy with how his career has panned out.

The Marvel actor, 73, reflected on his decades-long career in an interview with The Los Angeles Times published Tuesday where he talked about receiving an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards this year during the non-televised ceremony.

The honor is awarded to celebrate extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy. Jackson was presented with the award by longtime friend Denzel Washington.

"As jaded as I wanted to be about it, you know thinking, 'Well, I should have won an Oscar for this or should have won for that and it didn't happen,' once I got over it many years ago, it wasn't a big deal for me. I always have fun going to the Oscars," he said. "I always look forward to getting a gift basket for being a presenter. [Laughs] I give stuff to my relatives; my daughter and my wife would take stuff out. It's cool."

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Despite appearing in more than 150 films throughout his lifetime, the actor had never been awarded an Oscar for one of his performances. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the 1995 Academy Awards for his role in Pulp Fiction.

Mike Coppola/Getty

He told the LA Times that he has decided to measure his career — and its successes — in other ways that have nothing to do with the award.

"I was never going to let the Oscars be a measure of my success or failure as an actor. My yardstick of success is my happiness: Am I satisfied with what I'm doing? I'm not doing statue-chasing movies," he said. "You know [whispers]: 'If you do this movie, you'll win an Oscar.' No, thanks. I'd rather be Nick Fury. Or having fun being Mace Windu with a lightsaber in my hand."

Prior to this year's Oscars ceremony, Jackson told the U.K.'s The Sunday Times, "I should have won that one," of his Pulp Fiction nod, also listing his performance in 1991's Jungle Fever as worthy of awards.

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"I guess Black folk usually win for doing despicable s--- onscreen. Like Denzel [Washington] for being a horrible cop in Training Day. All the great stuff he did in uplifting roles like Malcolm X? No — we'll give it to this motherf----r. So maybe I should have won one."

"But," Jackson added, "Oscars don't move the comma on your check — it's about getting asses in seats and I've done a good job of doing that."