2. Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction
Jules Winfield is just your average everyday bible spouting, vegetarian Jeri-curled hitman who just so happens to have a wallet with the slogan "Bad Mother Fucker" embroidered on it. No small task for an actor to pull off a character that is almost larger than the film that holds him, and could any other actor other than Samuel L Jackson play this role? We beg to differ. Jules Winfield is one of the most iconic characters from Tarantino's films as well as modern day cinema. Jackson hits the nail in every scene he is in, as he coasts through his days relying on interesting conversations with his partner Vincent Vega (John Travolta) to keep him busy during his day job killing off people. In what is now a classic scene in the first act, Jules shares a breakfast burger with a group of scam artists that tried to rip off his boss. His intensity is so galvanizing, from his kind swagger in talking the metric system to the group to him staring down with his steel dark eyes, an informant who interrupts Jules mid conversation. Jackson commands every scene he is in with memorable ferocity. Its no wonder his performance gave him his first (and to date only) Oscar nomination, you can't help but not overlook this performance. Jackson's next big role will be in next year's remake of Robocop.