Samuel L. Jackson Reflects on Iconic Death Scene in Deep Blue Sea

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Samuel L. Jackson shared his unforgettable experience shooting the 1999 shark thriller, Deep Blue Sea, revealing insights about his iconic death scene and the challenges of filming in extreme conditions.

In a recent discussion, Jackson recalled being immersed in water for a month during production. “I had no idea I was going to be as wet as I was. It was kind of wild,” he said. The filmmakers, including director Renny Harlin, used water towers to create storm effects, resulting in incredible scenes with waves crashing over the cast.

Jackson’s character, Russell Franklin, famously meets his demise while delivering a motivational speech, a moment he had always envisioned in his film career. “I’d always wanted to be killed in a movie by something big that was chasing me. I missed out on my death scene in Jurassic Park because a hurricane destroyed the set in Hawaii, so I never got to go down and get eaten by a velociraptor,” he explained. “When Renny told me he was making a movie with killer sharks and that I was going to be the first person to die, I said: ‘Great!’”

Jackson emphasized the anticipation he felt during his character’s death scene at the movie premiere. “I’ve had very varied deaths in movies, but everyone remembers this one. It was great being at the premiere, having not told my friends, and seeing them react,” he said, noting the film’s unique portrayal of its characters. Unlike many horror films, Deep Blue Sea showcased LL Cool J as the last surviving character, a twist Jackson viewed as a small victory.

The production team faced challenges with special effects, utilizing both CGI and remotely controlled shark models created in San Francisco. Jackson mentioned the excitement of swimming alongside real sharks during filming, saying, “We shot some footage of Thomas Jane swimming with live sharks in the Bahamas.”

As the film’s narrative evolved, Jackson noted the importance of a surprise element in his character’s death. “One thing I had to fight the marketing team about was putting that bit in the trailer. I said: ‘No! It has to be a surprise,’” he recalled. However, reactions during test screenings revealed mixed feelings about plot changes, especially regarding the fate of Saffron Burrows’s character, head scientist Susan McAlester.

Jackson, along with the crew, quickly filmed an alternative ending where Susan meets her end, aligning with audience reactions suggesting a preference for consequences through character arcs. He explained, “Hundreds of test cards came back saying Susan deserved to be punished… I also wonder if her upper-class-sounding English accent was a factor.”

Ultimately, the revisions led to LL Cool J’s character becoming the hero, along with the addition of a song he wrote for the closing credits. Jackson humorously noted, “We got away with having his character’s foul-mouthed parrot get eaten. I think the reaction would have been different if he’d had a cute little puppy.”

As he continues to collaborate with Harlin, Jackson expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of returning to another shark film project. “Maybe he’ll bring back the shark that ate me in Deep Blue Sea and have it regurgitate me so I can come back and fight another day,” he joked.