Samuel L Jackson Worried About Having Dementia Because It Affected Many Of His Family Members

Samuel L Jackson is afraid of being stricken with dementia.

The 73-year-old actor portrays a man with the degenerative cognitive condition in the Apple TV+ mini-series The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey and he took on the role because his mother, grandfather, aunt and uncle all suffered with the syndrome.

Jackson admitted whenever he fails to remember something, it causes him concern, though he thinks he is "Okay".

Asked by Sunday Times Culture magazine if his family history has made him afraid, he said: “Of course. I have times when I can’t remember a name that I know I know. Or walk in a room to get something and go, ‘Why am I in here?’ But I also still remember pages of dialogue a day. So, do I think about it? Yes. Am I worried? I’m 73 … 74? 73 …

"See, like that! But it had happened to my mum and my grandfather by now. So I think I’m okay. For the moment.”

The Snakes on a Plane actor remembers the last time his mother, who died in 2012, properly recognised him.

He said: “I remember the last time my mother called my name.

“She was watching TV and a film of mine was coming out. I popped up on the screen and she looked at me and said, ‘Oh, Sam.’ That was it.”

After that, Jackson could see his mum getting angry and frustrated when she looked at him.

He said: “I don’t know if she was running through faces in her mind or seeing me from when I was a little person. Or as this big person.”

In 2019, Jackson appeared in a two-minute short film for Alzheimer Research UK's #ShareTheOrange campaign to raise awareness about dementia.

He admitted: “People are always calling me about doing a podcast, but I can’t talk for an hour without saying something f*****-up.”

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey premieres on Apple TV+ on March 11.