Which actor plays Ordell Robbie in Jackie Brown?

Samuel L. Jackson plays Ordell Robbie in Jackie Brown.

Ordell is a Los Angeles gun runner who uses couriers to move weapons and cash. When flight attendant Jackie Brown is caught smuggling money for him, Ordell tries to protect himself by manipulating the people around him and eliminating anyone he considers a threat. His paranoia and casual violence drive much of the film’s suspense.

Jackson’s performance is especially notable because Ordell is talkative, menacing, and frequently calculating rather than physically imposing. The role reunited Jackson with Quentin Tarantino after Pulp Fiction and became one of the actor’s signature collaborations with the director. Jackson later identified Ordell as one of his favorite roles.

Jackie Brown was released in 1997 and adapts Elmore Leonard’s 1992 novel Rum Punch. Pam Grier plays the title character, while Robert Forster plays bail bondsman Max Cherry and Michael Keaton plays ATF agent Ray Nicolette. A common mix-up is choosing Robert Forster, whose Max Cherry is one of the film’s major male characters but not Ordell.