Jackson, who has grossed an estimated $7.42 billion over the span of his entire film career, starred in the 1991 Spike Lee film "Jungle Fever." Since then, he has appeared in over 100 films including "Pulp Fiction," for which he received an Academy Award nomination. In The Mountaintop, currently playing at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre through Jan. 15, 2012, Jackson portrays Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. opposite fellow Oscar nominee Angela Bassett as Camae.
Taking place on April 3, 1968, The Mountaintop, press notes state, is a "gripping reimagining of events the night before the assassination of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. After delivering his legendary 'I've Been to the Mountaintop' speech, an exhausted Dr. King retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis while a storm rages outside. When a mysterious young woman delivers room service, King is forced to confront his past, as well as his legacy to his people."
Jackson also appeared on Broadway in The Piano Lesson. His other screen credits include "The Sunset Limited," the "Iron Man" films, "Freedomland," "Snakes on a Plane," the "Star Wars" prequels, "The Incredibles," "Unbreakable," "The Negotiator," "Jackie Brown," "Eve's Bayou" and "Jurassic Park," among others.