Samuel L Jackson ‘had no idea’ upcoming role was a gay character

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Outspoken LGBT ally and actor Samuel L Jackson has said he was not aware his upcoming role in the film adaption of Stephen King’s ‘Cell’ was a gay character.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the actor would be tackling his first ever gay character as he takes on the role of Tom McCourt, an openly gay engineer who used to serve in the army.

However, according to an interview with the New York Post, Jackson admitted he had no clue the character was gay.

He said: “I have no idea. I haven’t read the book. Is that character gay in the book?”

In King’s novel, McCourt flees Boston alongside New England Artist Clay Riddell, who is desperate to reunite with his son after a phone signal turns the Earth’s population into mindless vicious animals.

Clay Riddell will be played by John Cusack, and the film is to be directed by Tod Williams, who is best known for his work on Paranormal Activity 2.

Samuel L Jackson was among the many Hollywood celebrities, including Brad Pitt, Stephen Speilberg, and Tom Hanks, to speak up when California passed Proposition 8 in 2009, which was a law banning same-sex marriage in the state.

The previous King adaptation, 1408, also starred both Cusack and Jackson.