Samuel L. Jackson Recalls His Bizarre First Encounter with Marlon Brando

The two started talking after Brando revealed he was familiar with Jackson's work in 'Pulp Fiction.'

Two days before 9/11 Samuel L. Jackson was in New York waiting backstage at a Michael Jackson show.

The actor was asked to introduce Usher and Whitney Houston at the event, but while waiting to go on he was approached by Marlon Brando.

Jackson recalled the surreal moment during The Hollywood Reporter's annual Actor Roundtable.

"Somebody comes up behind me and starts doing the Ezekiel speech [from Pulp Fiction]. People do that to me all the time. 'Arrgh, Ezekiel, da da da.' And I turn around, and it’s Marlon Brando. I’m like, 'Oh my God!' We end up having this conversation," says Jackson.

The two finished talking and then exchanged phone numbers: "He says, 'Call me, we need to talk.'"

Shortly after the interaction Jackson called the number Brando gave him, but Brando didn't pick up the phone.

"It's a Chinese restaurant," Jackson reveals, laughing.

Jackson asked if Mr. Brando was there and the person on the other line said, "Hold on, hold on." Brando came to the phone and Jackson says they talked for an hour.

It turns out this was Brando's clever way of filtering phone calls.

"The next time I called, it was a Chinese laundry," Jackson said.

The full Actor Roundtable will air on Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday, Jan. 17, at 11 a.m. ET on Sundance TV.

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