Samuel L. Jacksonsays it’s his family’s love that helped him “become the man I am meant to be.”
In this week’s issue of PEOPLE, the movie star and his wife of 41 years, Broadway actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson, sat down for an intimate interview to discuss their love and life now.
While today, Samuel’s films—including massive franchises likeStar Wars,AvengersandThe Incredibles—have collectively raked in nearly $18.5 billion worldwide, making him the highest-grossing actor of all time, there was a time early in his career where he struggled.
Early on in marriage, Samuel became addicted to drugs and admits he was not emotionally present for his family.
For more on PEOPLE’s cover story with Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson, listen below to our daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day.
“I had basically moved into the basement of our brownstone,” he says. “I was like the troll in the basement, and every now and then I’d come upstairs and hover around to do something. I was addicted and being crazy.”
Matt Sayles/@msayles
LaTanya insisted he go to rehab and made calls to find him a spot. “She didn’t have to try to fix me,” he says. “She could’ve just said, ‘Get out,’ and left me into the world, let me go and be whatever I was going to be.”
But LaTanya, 72, says that was not an option: “I couldn’t do that because I felt as though God had spoken to me and said, ‘Now, you can’t leave this young man like this. Give him some help. And then, if you feel like leaving afterwards, we’ll talk about it.'”
For more on their love story, pick up this week’s issue ofPEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.
source: people.com
