Samuel L. Jackson “Mad As Hell” Filming Sports Movie With Drunk Cast

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During the filming of the 2005 movie Coach Carter, Samuel L. Jackson became very angry when a scene involving alcohol unexpectedly became real. According to his co-star, Antwon Tanner (who played Worm), Tanner brought his own alcoholic drink to set during a nighttime pool party scene. This happened after the basketball team, coached by Jackson’s character Ken Carter, won a tournament.

It was a really fun, chaotic time. We were handing out small drinks to the women on set, and everyone ended up getting drunk. Because of that, we weren’t making any progress. When Sam arrived, he was furious and insisted we immediately get back to work as planned. But honestly, we were all too out of it to really focus. He couldn’t believe what was happening and was really angry.

Directed by Thomas Carter, who also directed Save the Last Dance, this film tells the true story of high school basketball coach Ken Carter. In 1999, Carter made headlines when he benched his undefeated team due to failing grades. The movie also features Channing Tatum in one of his first roles – he later became known for films like Foxcatcher, Deadpool & Wolverine, Magic Mike, Roofman, and the thriller Blink Twice.

Why Samuel L. Jackson Still Tries to Be Nice to Everybody


Paramount Pictures

Samuel L. Jackson has a different explanation than what Tanner shared about why he’s known for being friendly on movie sets. He says it started during the filming of 1995’s Die Hard with a Vengeance. He saw a sign on the wall with a saying that’s stuck with him ever since, and he recently shared the story in a promotional video for his acting Masterclass.

I always remembered a sign I saw in the office from the movie Die Hard. It said, ‘Watch who you treat badly today, because you might need their help tomorrow.’ Ever since then, I’ve made a point of being kind to everyone, especially assistants and anyone else I work with.

I eventually had some former production assistants become producers who hired me, and they told me they remembered I’d treated them well when they were starting out – I hadn’t given them unnecessary tasks, and I always took the time to say hello. That’s why it’s important to be kind to everyone on set, even those in seemingly minor roles, because you never know when you might need their help. Everyone is working towards the same goal, so treat people how you’d like to be treated and help create a positive atmosphere for everyone.

Samuel L. Jackson shared a memorable piece of advice Bruce Willis gave him while filming Die Hard. At a Vanity Fair tribute honoring Willis, who retired in 2022 after an aphasia diagnosis, Jackson explained that Willis told him to develop a signature character he could always return to, even after starring in unsuccessful films. Willis cited examples like Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky and Rambo, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator, and his own John McClane. Jackson eventually found that character with Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in 13 films over 16 years. Now, fans are wondering if he’ll reach 14 credits with this year’s Avengers: Doomsday.

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2026-01-19 17:09