Denzel Washington reflects on 45 years of friendship with Samuel L. Jackson: “He's family to me. He's my children's uncle”

DENZEL Washington says Samuel L. Jackson’s greatest role is family man. 

The double-Oscar winner has been friends with Jackson 45 years, first working together in 1979, and said “the role that defines him to me is his role as a father, as a husband and as a friend”.

The pair were united this week at Museum of Modern Art’s 16th annual Film Benefit event honouring Jackson.

Washington was presenting an honour to Jackson when he shared his thanks for the decades of friendship and support he has received from the Pulp Fiction star.

“Lord forgive me, Samuel Jackson is a bad motherfu**er,” he said, before adding that he was a “great actor, great friend”.

“More importantly, he’s family to me. He’s my children’s uncle,” he said, adding that Jackson’s daughter Zoe is also like a “daughter” to Washington.

Reflecting on their journey, Washington shared on the red carpet ahead of the ceremony: “Sam and I go back 45 years. We first worked together in 1979. We first worked together when we were in our 20s and now we’re in our 70s. I’m not quite there yet. I’ll be there in a couple of months.”

The two actors have appeared on screen together once, in the 1990 Spike Lee film Mo’ Better Blues, but as Washington explained, they met several years before that in an off-Broadway production of Mighty Gents.

“I was an understudy, so I watched him,” Washington explained. “They fired the guy I was understudying after opening night, I took over. I remember him giving me confidence to do the job. He doesn’t know that until tonight.”

Nothing but love for you, brother, respect for you,” the Training Day star concluded. “I’m here for you. I’m glad that I’m here for you. I look forward to seeing you and working with you. God bless you.”

Jackson, who is currently the highest-grossing film actor of all time, is set to star in The Piano Lesson, the first film to be directed by Malcolm Washington, the son of Denzel. Malcolm’s brother John David Washington stars alongside Jackson in a cast that also includes Erykah Badu, Corey Hawkins and Danielle Deadwyler.