Friday, Dec 09, 2016

Dubai: American actor Samuel L. Jackson, in the UAE for the 13th Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), weighed in on the election of President-elect Donald Trump back home. He said Trump satisfies a portion of Americans who were not happy with Barack Obama.

“People like me are feeling the way that all those people who hated Barack felt for the past eight years. It’s just been a flip. A lot of people voted for the dude [Trump] — it’s not like he stole the election,” said Jackson.

“For eight years, there have been people who hated Barack. And to the world, he was a beloved kind of dude — well, a lot of people in the world, not the whole world. I mean, he killed a lot of people, we get that.

“But he was supposedly [representative of], ‘Wow, America’s got a black president, he’s so cool. America is growing!’ Well, now we know America didn’t grow so much. People were just laying in wait. Like, ‘I can’t wait for this guy to be gone!’

“The other half of America’s personality gets what they want now — or they think they get what they want. We’ll see.”

Jackson made the comments during Friday’s round-table at DIFF, where he discussed his career, politics and the film industry. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award a night prior.

Jackson added that he hoped Trump “won’t destroy Hollywood” so they can continue to go to work.

“We wish we could have somebody who is beloved — but even the people who are beloved don’t do everything we need them to do for us,” he said.

Asked whether he feels the need to defend America as he tours around the world, Jackson said, “I don’t defend America, ever. People just kind of look at you and smile and shake their heads. That’s all they do. It is what it is.”

He said he’s not looking for a new home due to the results of the election. “Everybody thinks I am, but I’m not,” he added.

Jackson has long been an outspoken champion of human rights. When a video circulated in October of fellow actor Robert De Niro speaking out against Trump — among other things, De Niro said he wants to punch Trump in the face — Jackson tweeted the video and wrote, “And now a message from my friend Bob. Well said!”

He also urged people to vote whether they agreed or not.

By Marwa Hamad Staff Reporter

Gulf News 2016. All rights reserved.