Samuel L. Jackson: The Actor Known, and Unknown - Essay Example

? SAMUEL L. JACKSON: THE ACTOR KNOWN & UNKNOWN Inserts His/Her Inserts Inserts Introduction Samuel Leroy Jackson, one of the most successful film actors in history was born in 1948. He grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee under the care of his mother and grandmother. According to Jackson, his father was an alcoholic and they did not much contact before he later died of alcoholism (Hudson, 2004). Jackson education in his early years mainly occurred in segregated schools and he graduated from Riverside High School in Chattanooga. After high school, Jackson sought to pursue a degree in marine biology and thus attended the Morehouse College in Atlanta. During this time, he became involved in civil rights movement when he joined the black-power movement in the predominantly black Morehouse College. As a child, Jackson was a film enthusiast and it was during this time that he first had contact with the complex issues surrounding the black presence on film (Beale, 2000). Movies such as Band of Angels were usually edited for the black audiences in Chattanooga and scenes such as of a black woman slapping a white woman were edited out. During his involvement with the Civil Movement, Jackson first noticed the Negro Ensemble Company was inspired by their acting. During his junior year in 1969, he was part of a group that protested the lack of blacks on the board of trustees by locking in part of the board members inside a school building for two days. The school did change their policies after the event, but Jackson was suspended for two years from the school. During his two years suspension, he left for Los Angeles to work as a social worker. During this time, he became very interested in acting and thus in 1972, he returned to Morehouse College to pursue a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Drama (O’Hagan, 2008). After finishing his degree, he began acting plays such as A Soldier’s Play. He also featured in some television films and made his film debut when he appeared in Together for Days in 1972. After these small roles, Jackson moved to New York City where he proceeded to appear in stage plays for two years. During his early career, Jackson was lucky to be mentored by Morgan Freeman. In 1981, he was introduced to Spike Lee, a prominent producer who involved him in several small roles in his films. He married his wife LaTanya Richardson in 1980 and had his daughter Zoe in 1982 (Hudson, 2004). During his early acting career, Jackson became involved in drugs and alcohol. According to an interview with Vries (2010), Jackson actually learnt acting while he was drunk and on drugs. He later moved to using hard drugs such as Heroin and Cocaine. It was during one of his drug binges that his family noted he was getting worse and pressured him into going into a rehabilitation center. After his time in a New York rehab center, he was immediately cast in “Jungle Fever”, where he was cast as cocaine addict (Ryan, 1995). The film became a very big hit and Jackson career began improving tremendously. From 1990s on, Jackson’s career improved tremendously and he was invited in many films that proved to be successful in the American Box Office. Now, Jackson has appeared in more than 140 films most of them high grossing films that have earned more than $4 billion. He was ranked the seventh highest grossing lead movie star as well as the second highest grossing movie star (both lead and supporting). Samuel L Jackson’s Addictive Behavior Jackson was in a family where the majority of men in his immediate family succumbed to alcoholism and subsequently died of it. It was normal for him to hear stories of his uncles who had been alcoholics and died of it. It was thus ingrained into him that alcoholism was part of his life (Lipworth, 2012). His choice to take up acting as a career was mainly based on the thrills afforded by acting. When he was in college, he noted that the theatre class offered thrills such as access to sex and drugs. The lifestyle of a black young man at the time was limited and Jackson saw the theatre as a means of entry to a better life (O’Hagan, 2008). For a young man involved with a violent civil movement, acting was a way of expression, a way of life and Jackson was entranced by the idea. When he began acting, Jackson recalls one lecturer who used to tell them that if one was acting, one imitated the giant actors, and all the giant actors got blind drunk. He took this as a validation for his way of life and thus began his downward spiral. He recalls that he started drinking bourbon or wine before his 8am class and in the afternoon while creating sets, he and his fellow students drank some more while smoking marijuana (Lipworth, 2012). By the time rehearsal were taking place, they were drunk and under the influence of drugs. Since they had rehearsed all day, they knew their lines thus; they were able to function under the influence. When Jackson completed his degree, he was not only an alcoholic but also a very good actor. He got roles, got money and then got drunk. He remembers appearing in plays such as the Piano Lesson quite drunk. When he joined the Negro Ensemble Company, he rehearsed and performed while drunk and on drugs. During this time of civil revolution, Jackson notes that he fancied himself a version of Oliver Reed (Lipworth, 2012). The life, theatre and revolution all combined to further his alcoholism and drug use. Popularity enabled him to have access to women, drug dealers and parties where drugs were the main attraction. Jackson however argues that he did not evolve into total degeneracy. He did not beg or rob people; he was working most of the time. He however was drunk all the time. When he went on stage, he was able to recall his lines and due to drugs was able to give a good performance. According to Jackson, he always does things in excess. He drank all the beers in a six pack and a whole bottle of vodka or wine. He was unable to moderate; he was never a social drinker (Vries, 2000). He did more drugs than anyone but also worked harder than most. This was not due to his work ethics but rather his need to exceed, his restlessness to finish something. However, in 1980, Jackson started using cocaine in preference to the heroin he was using previously. His addiction to cocaine resulted in him having problems with the directors of two of the most important plays he was engaged in at the time: Two Trains Running and Piano Lesson. He was always late when requested to appear in rehearsals and was unable to successfully grasp his lines (Beale, 2000). He was not associative both with his family and his fellow workmates in the theatre. He was also compulsive, quick to anger and downright unpleasant to his fellow actors and to the theatre crew. His commitment to acting decreased and he only engaged in acting due to the doors it opened, that is, the party life of drinking and debauchery. One night after a party, Jackson decided to go home and use cocaine so that he can reduce the down brought on by alcohol, with the added advantage that it will hide his level of intoxication (Vries, 2000). When he was preparing the drug, he passed out and woke up to find his scared family taking care of him and aware of both his drug problem as well as his alcoholism. He was pressured into joining a rehabilitation center both for his personal life and well as professional. After successfully completing his rehabilitation, Jackson was involved in what would become his breakout film Jungle Fever where he acted as a drug addict. He describes this film as cathartic, an event that truly signaled a change in his life, both personal and professional (Lipworth, 2012). His acting improved and he rose to be one of the best actors in the world. His acting primary improved due to increased dedication. Some of his co-workers describe him as a workaholic whereby he is intensely invested in every film he is involved in. He also took up golfing and has been described as being addicted to (O’Hagan, 2008). Samuel L Jackson’s past substance use problems, his current intense dedication to his career that led to his professional success as well as his success as an amateur golf player both stem from his addictive personality and his psychological dependency. Addictive Personality Addictive personality denotes a specific group of traits that make it easier for a person to fall into addiction. Curtiss (2012) notes that addictive behaviors are those intense, repetitive pleasurable activities individuals engage in so as to cope with stress, pressure and unmanageable internal conflict. Addictive personality can also be described as the psychosomatic impediment that escalates the susceptibility of a person to addiction (APA, 2000). People with addictive personality thus have some mutual elements in their personality traits. For example, those with substance dependency are characterized by: a psychological or physical dependency that affects their quality of lives negatively (Sarramon et al., 1999). These individuals are closely connected with drug abuse, however, individuals having addictive personalities have a high risk of being addicted to food, co-dependency, work, exercise, or gambling. Medical researchers define addictive behaviors in 5 interrelated concepts, physical addiction, compulsion, habits, impulse control disorders and patterns. Individuals with addictive personalities can at times swap one addiction for another and at times sustain more than one addictive activity. There are several forms of addictive behavior. They include: substance addiction, gambling, eating disorders, compulsive buying, tanning, internet and computer use, exercise, work and self-injury. Studies have shown that some individuals are more likely to develop an addiction to a given activity or item (O’hannessian & Hasselbrock, 1999). The causes of addictive personality can be best studied by taking into account the biological, psychological, and environmental /social factors. According to Loewen (2012), many addictions have high rates of heritability, such as alcoholism with about 50 to 70% heritability. Studies have also shown that brain chemistry can also contribute to addictive personalities. Fluctuations in dopamine levels usually cause individuals to search for activities that result in a high and might eventually lead into addiction. Lo and Cheng (2007) argued that while there lacks a single set of traits that describe a personality disorder, there exist important psychological factors that may lead to an addictive personality. The psychological factors include impulsivity, a sense of social alienation and rebelliousness, value on non-conformity, amplified stress and absence of coping abilities. Individuals with addictive personalities also have an external locus of control. Some studies also claim that these individuals have an increased inclination towards field dependency. There are also several environmental factors that may cause development of an addictive personality. The predisposition towards addiction alone does not usually mean that a problem is present; however, situational stress may result into the presentation of the addiction (Wise, 1996). Severe childhood stress has also been noted to cause an increased risk to addiction. The behavior of close relatives, sexual and physical abuse, and volatile expectations can also increase the risk of an individual to develop an addiction (O’hannessian & Hasselbrock, 1999). There are several symptoms and signs that signify an addictive personality. Individuals with addictive personality usually spend a lot of their time on a behavior or an item. This is not because of a hobby, but because they feel that, it is a must. According to Miller (2013), addiction can only be applied when an individual’s capacity to function in the society is negatively affected by repetitive activities or items that they engage in. These individuals also hide their vices through segregation from social activities. Individuals with addictive personalities usually act on impulses and are unable to cope with deferred gratification. These individuals also believe that the norms of the society do not apply to them therefore; usually acting on whims, they diverge from conformity to rebel (Basson, 2001). Individuals with addictive personality are also very susceptible to emotional stress. They have difficulties handling conditions they consider frustrating, even if the condition last for a very short time. The mix of impulsivity, poor self-esteem and low stress tolerance leads these individuals to suffer from depression and recurrent mood swings (Sarramon et al., 1999). In order to deal with their volatile personalities, these individuals develop coping mechanisms, which then turn into their addiction, and finally, the addiction becomes as something that they can control when their personality traits become difficult to control. Individuals with addictive personalities generally switch from one addiction to another. These individuals portray impulsive behavior like excessive exercise, internet use etc. Individuals suffering from addictive personalities also suffer from loneliness and depression (Curtiss, 2012). Individuals who have high levels of self-monitoring are also prone to suffer from addictive personalities. They tend to act how they think others expect them to act. They are also desperate to fit in, thus they are easily swayed by others. Individuals displaying an addictive personality usually display low self-esteem. Through the use of drugs or alcohol, those with low self-esteem can live the life they think people expect them to lead (Miller, 2013). Individuals with addictive personalities also find it very difficult to cope with their stress levels. These individuals are usually unable to handle stressful situations and try very hard to get out of stressful environments. Individuals with addictive personalities usually go through anxiety and depression. They manage their emotions through the use of drugs or alcohol thus developing an addiction. Trafton and Gifford (2008), also note that individuals with addictive personalities are easily attracted to activities that can be termed as addictive such as gambling. They are usually seeking the “high” brought about by engaging in this activities. Within a short time, these individuals are not only addicted to drugs or alcohol but to these extracurricular addictive activities. Individuals with addictive personalities are also very insecure when it comes to personal relationships. They usually find it difficult to make commitments in their personal lives or trust their loved ones because of the difficulties they have in accomplishing long term goals. They have a tendency of seeking approvals from others, and as a result, difficulties in personal relationships may arise due to misunderstandings (Loewen, 2012). Drugs and the Show Business While an addictive personality might explain all of these symptoms, we have to remember that Samuel L Jackson is an actor thus exists in a field that has always been known for the drugs and party life. The 1980s formed the “Rolling 80s” and drugs were part of the norm for most of the upcoming young individuals in America. The show business was also hard hit with drugs and thus Samuel Jackson as a beginner must have been exposed to this lifestyle quite early. The civil movement was quite violent and drugs were part and parcel of these groups. All these situations combined to make Samuel L. Jackson a drug addict and thus, it can be argued that he did not have an addictive personality or substance abuse problems. We can thus argue that the drugs were a part of his earlier career life and he became addicted due to constant use and easy access to the drugs. Analysis While the problems of drugs and alcohol in the show business can explain why Samuel L. Jackson had such a problem with these vices in his earlier career, it does not fully explain the full problem. Jackson was from a family that was known for its fatalities due to alcoholism. His childhood was not stable and he was raised away from both his parents. This relates to the point raised above about addictive behavior. Jackson was also born in a time where blacks were underrated and where young black males usually felt socially alienated especially in educational settings where they were less in number. Jackson was a young male in a time of civil change and thus must have felt social alienation both due to his color and due to the fact that he was raised by his grandmother and his family was made of alcoholics. Jackson was also shown to have a tendency of non-conformity. Jackson was shown to have aspects of rebellion such as when he joined the black power movement and when they locked board members in the school for two days. Apart from this, Jackson was also involved in a violent group that was not shy in going against social rules. This points to an addictive behavior in that it points to non-conformity and the tendency to be swayed to others thinking and actions. Jackson argues that he has a tendency to do things in extremes. This is a tendency of addictive behaviors where an activity or item takes all the concentration of the individual. An individual does it because it is ingrained into them and not as a hobby. Jackson was addicted to drugs and alcohol and after being admitted into rehabilitation, he took up golf, which acted as a secondary addiction. His dedication into work to the point of being termed as a workaholic also points to an addictive personality and suggests that Jackson just traded one addiction for another. His difficulties with his family also point to an addictive personality. Jackson was unable to trust his family and thus put them in a lot of problems during his addiction years. His wife did not know he was using cocaine or that it was so bad he was on the verge of killing himself. He hid his problems from his family thus preventing them from seeking help earlier. This combination of genetics, psychology and environment all lead to the conclusion that Samuel L. Jackson has an addictive personality. Conclusion Samuel L. Jackson has acted in over 140 films, many of them being high grossing films. His films have earned about $4 Billion in the American Box Office placing him as the second highest grossing movie star in history. Apart from this, Jackson has had a history in which was marked by drugs and alcohol. From the previous sections and looking at the life of Samuel L. Jackson, we can conclude that Jackson has an addictive personality that increased his propensity to alcohol and drug abuse as well as his future as a workaholic and golf enthusiast. References American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, Text Revision. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association. p. 496-502. ISBN 978-0-89042-555-8. Basson, C. J. (2001). Personality and Behavior Associated With Excessive Dependence On Exercise: Some Reflections from Research. South African Journal of Psychology, 31 (2): 53-59. Beale, L. (2000). Clean Break With the Past – Samuel L. Jackson went from addict to Hollywood star. Daily News. Retrieved from: http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2000/06/11/2000-06- 11_clean_break_with_the_past_sa.html Curtiss, M. (2012). Brain Dependence: The Debate over the Addictive Personality and Gender Implications. Biology 202. Retrieved from: http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro04/web1/mcurtiss.html Hudson, J. (2004). Samuel L. Jackson: The Unauthorized Biography. London: Virgin Books. p. 13-121. ISBN 1-85227-024-1. Lipworth, E. (2012). Samuel L Jackson: 'I drank and I used drugs. I fancied myself as Oliver Reed’. Telegraph . Retrieved from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/starsandstories/9214431/Samuel-L- Jackson-I-drank-and-I-used-drugs.-I-fancied-myself-as-Oliver-Reed.html Lo, C. C. & Cheng, T. C. (2007). The impact of childhood maltreatment on young adults' substance abuse. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 33 (1): 139–46. doi:10.1080/00952990601091119 Loewen, S. (2012). Addictive Personality Disorder. Health Guidance Retrieved from: http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/15805/1/Addictive-Personality- Disorder.html Miller, P. (2013). Principles of Addiction: Comprehensive Addictive Behaviors and Disorders, Volume 1, (Ed.). South Carolina: Academic Press. ISBN: 978-0123983367. Available at: http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=5gRNl3oIwWEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Addicti ve+Behaviors&hl=en&sa=X&ei=rQejUqmjOsiO7Qav3YDQDw&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA #v=onepage&q=Addictive%20Behaviors&f=false O'Hagan, S. (2008). Samuel L Jackson: 'Now we got the movie stuff out of the way, let's talk about something serious. The Guardian (London). Retrieved from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/dec/07/samuel-l-jackson- hollywood-film O’hannessian, C. M., Hasselbrock, V. M. (1999). Predictors of substance abuse and affective diagnosis: Does having a family history of alcoholism make a difference? Applied Developmental Science, 3, 239-247. doi: 10.1207/s1532480xads0304_9 Ryan, J. (1995). Jackson Out of Hiding. Ocala Star-Banner. Retrieved from: Sarramon, C., Verdoux, H., Schmitt, L., & Bourgeois, M (1999). "Addiction and personality traits: Sensation seeking, anhedonia, impulsivity". L'Encephale, 25(6): 569–575. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2012.07.046 Trafton, J. A. & Gifford, E. (2008). Behavioral Reactivity and Addiction : The Adaptation of Behavioral Response to Reward Opportunities. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 20: 23–35. Retrieved from: http://psychiatryonline.org/data/Journals/NP/3960/08JNP23.PDF Vries, H. (2000). Samuel L. Jackson: My Character Is No Sex Machine. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-06 20/features/0006200012_1_shaft-black-private-dick-blaxploitation/2 Wise R. A. (1996). Neurobiology of addiction. Current Opinions on Neurobiology, 6 (2): 243- 251. Retrieved from: http://www.flyfishingdevon.co.uk/salmon/year3/psy337DrugAddiction/wise.pdf Read More