10 minutes with Samuel L Jackson

You’ve starred in more than 100 movies but have never won an Oscar. Does that bother you?

I’m over it. I’ve done so many movies, and I have a huge, huge fan base, and people like what I do, so I don’t think an Oscar would define my career in any way other than to say, ‘Oh, I got one.’ Anyway, I have a BAFTA.

What do you like to do when you’re in London?

Walk around and freak people out. They look at me and ask, ‘Are you…?’ and I say, ‘Nah.’

I’ve heard you also like to freak people out by watching your own films in the cinema.

Of course. I grab my popcorn and my big slushie and I sit on the end of a row, up high so I can see people’s reactions. They normally spend the first half hour tweeting, and then they calm down.

What was it like working with Quentin Tarantino again on Django Unchained?

Just like the first time. The only difference is that he bans electronics on set. Between shots he plays loud music — anything from opera to rock — and everyone dances.

Did you have any reservations about playing such a controversial character?

Quentin said, ‘The script’s called Django, but you’re Stephen. Read it.’ So I’m reading and reading and there’s a lot of Django, but none of Stephen. When I finally got to him, I called Quentin straight back. I said, ‘Oh my God, Quentin, this is crazy. Are you serious that you don’t want me to play the lead, but you want me to be the most despised Negro in cinematic history?’ He just said, ‘Yeah,’ so I said, ‘OK, then.’ And that was it.

Do you ever get mobbed by crazed fans?

Every day weird stuff happens. Once they realise it’s me, everybody wants to know if I know what they call a quarter pounder with cheese in France.

You’ve campaigned twice for Obama, would you do an Arnie and go into politics?

I have way too many skeletons in my closet to go into politics.

You’re a comic-book fan — are you a bit of a geek?

Well, I do like to sit at home and read books and comics, and watch movies; and I play golf, I don’t drink, I don’t go to clubs and I don’t use drugs any more… Maybe I am a geek. God, that’s a bit of a revelation.

Samuel L Jackson is hosting the Affinity Real Estate Shooting Stars Benefit 2013, a charity golf tournament to raise money for the Samuel L Jackson Foundation (shootingstarsbenefit.com)