Samuel Leroy Jackson better known as Samuel L Jackson is one of the most respected and loved actors in Hollywood. The actor has appeared in over 150 films and has given some stellar performances across genres. The talented actor can easily slip into any given character and has given us several memorable characters in his career. What's even more amazing is that Jackson has not only been a part of the Marvel franchise but also other big ones including Star Wars, XXX among others. We have to say the high points of his career have been with directors Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino. Martin Scorcese Calls Marvel Movies ‘Theme Parks’, Samuel L Jackson Says ‘Everybody doesn’t like his stuff either’.

Of course, most of us love him as Nick Fury from the Marvel movies but there are also other epic characters that Jackson has played over the years including the likes of The Hateful 8, Die Hard among others. As the actor celebrates his birthday on December 22 and turns 71, we look at some of his best performances till now.

Pulp Fiction:

The actor famously played Jules Winnfield in this film and it remains to be one his most epic roles. His character kills ruthlessly but the twist here is that he does this with a cold logic that somehow makes murder seem like the most justifiable and even the most civil outcome in the circumstances. Jackson pulled off this role with amazing fineness.

Avengers Series:

One of Jackson's most famous role today remains the Avengers franchise. The actor famously plays S.H.I.E.L.D. general Nick Fury and it has only gotten better with each film. The character's straight-faced humour and authoritarian ways make him one of the most interesting characters in the franchise and much of that attitude is rightly brought by Jackson himself. We can't imagine anyone else but him for Fury's role.

Django Unchained:

One of Jackson’s most controversial roles is from Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. Jackson has described the character of Stephen as “the most despised Negro in cinematic history,” and we have to say he's not lying there. Jackson's Stephen is a senior house slave who seems more cruel and vindictive than his master as well. Pulled off excellently by Samuel L Jackson, this shows how truly talented he is.  The Asset: Michael Keaton, Samuel L Jackson and Maggie Q Roped In for Martin Campbell’s Thriller Film.

Die Hard With A Vengeance:

This is an underrated Samuel L Jackson performance. The actor's role as Zeus in this Die Hard film is everything opposite to Nick Fury. He's a everyday guy. Zeus is an electrician dragged into extraordinary circumstances after he rescues Willis' John McClane. The actor does a fine job of making this character funny too.

The Hateful Eight:

Yet another amazing performance for Jackson comes with a Quentin Tarantino film again. The duo have collaborated for several films and have created some brilliant cinematic gems for us. Jackson's character in Major Marquis Warren, a Civil War vet. The highlight of this performance remains Jackson mouth the phrase “black dingus” in his inimitable style.

These are some of our favourite performances of the actor and while there are several others that can be added to this list, we certainly think no one could have pulled off these the way, Jackson did. We hope the actor keeps entertaining us with many more such performances. Tell us your favourite one in the comments!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 21, 2019 10:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).