Samuel L. Jackson called out misogynistic trolls who attacked his friend and Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) costar Brie Larson.
Jackson, who played Nick Fury in 11 MCU films, will star in his own Disney+ miniseries Secret Invasion.
The conspiracy thriller series will set up the next cinematic installment of the MCU with The Marvels in which Jackson will reteam with Larson–who starred as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel as the titular character.
He recently defended Larson during an interview where he brought up a conversation in which he encouraged the Oscar-winning actress to take the role of Captain Marvel.
He told Rolling Stone:
"Brie’s a stronger person than people give her credit for."
Jackson and Larson formed a tight bond while going through a "hard time" working together in 2017's Kong: Skull Island.
Since then, they've become good friends. He even volunteered to star in her directorial debut film Unicorn Store.
In 2019, Captain Marvel broke box office records as the most profitable opening weekend of any film led by a woman.
However, the notion of a superhero film featuring a female lead didn't sit well with some people—mainly heteronormative White men—in the MCU fanbase. The same fans label any main character who isn't exactly like them—and the superheroes that dominated comics and other media for decades—"woke."
As far as Jackson was concerned, he thought those who took issue with Larson portraying an empowered woman in Carol Danvers could get over themselves.
He went on to praise Larson for her resilience and being unconcerned by the toxic masculinity leveled against her.
Jackson recalled the moment he encouraged her when she reached out to him with exciting news.
"When she got Captain Marvel, she called me and was like, 'They want me in the Marvel Universe. Should I do it?' And I was like, 'Hell yeah! Let’s do it!'”
"But she’s not going to let any of that stuff destroy her."
"These incel dudes who hate strong women, or the fact that she’s a feminist who has an opinion and expressed it?"
He added:
"Everybody wants people to be who they want them to be."
"She is who she is, and she’s genuinely that."
In spite of the subset of haters, Larson has reacted positively towards fans who were inspired by her Carol Danvers character in Captain Marvel.
During an interview in which she was apprehensive about discussing her future with the next phase of the MCU and reprising her role, she said earlier this year:
"The thing that has just broken my heart open the most has been how many different kinds of people respond to Carol."
"It's so much more than me, and so much more than my body holds."
"Different sexual orientations or ways that you identify with gender or race. It goes beyond that."
"And that's the thing that's been exciting for me," she added.
Secret Invasion, the first series of phase 5 in the MCU, will follow Nick Fury and allies attempting to thwart a group of renegade Skrulls from invading Earth.
You can watch Jackson in the 6-episode miniseries streaming on Disney+ starting Wednesday.
