Allison Samuels of the Daily Beast speaks to Samuel L. Jackson about his Broadway debut in October as Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop, a fictional account of the last day of the leader's life.
Samuel l. Jackson doesn't mince words when sharing his thoughts on the current state of African-American affairs. He isn't happy. More to the point, he's convinced the man he's set to portray on Broadway come October wouldn't be, either. In his Broadway debut, Jackson will step into the shoes of the late Martin Luther King Jr. for The Mountaintop, a fictional account of the last 24 hours of King's life.
The play, which also stars Angela Bassett, explores the emotions, regrets, and fears of the civil-rights leader on the night before he will be shot to death on a Memphis motel balcony. An encounter with a mysterious chambermaid (Bassett) forces him to confront his legacy in ways most could never imagine. Written by Katori Hall, The Mountaintop debuted on London stages in 2009 to rave reviews. The script offers a shocking twist to King's last day, while also providing two A-list actors a chance to mesmerize audiences with a haunting story of a man facing his own mortality.
Read Allison Samuel's entire story at the Daily Beast.