‘Shaft’ Star Richard Roundtree Remembered by Samuel L. Jackson: ‘The Best to Ever Do It’

variety.com:

Michaela Zee Samuel L. Jackson has paid tribute to “Shaft” icon Richard Roundtree, who died Tuesday afternoon after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was 81. Jackson, who first portrayed detective John Shaft’s (Roundtree) nephew in the 2000 sequel to Gordon Park’s 1971 action thriller “Shaft,” posted a photo of the two of them on Instagram from the 2019 action thriller, also titled “Shaft.” “Richard Roundtree, The Prototype, The Best To Ever Do It!!

SHAFT, as we know it is & will always be His Creation!!,” Jackson wrote in the caption. “His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too.” “Love you Brother, I see you walking down the Middle of Main Street in Heaven & Issac’s Conducting your song,” he continued, quoting a lyric from the late Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft,” which won an Oscar.

A post shared by Samuel L Jackson (@samuelljackson) Gabrielle Union, who starred alongside Roundtree in the drama series “Being Mary Jane,” said working with the Blaxploitation film icon “was a dream.” “Getting to hang with him & our ‘Being Mary Jane’ family was always a good ass time with the best stories & laughs,” Union wrote on X/Twitter. “He was ALWAYS the coolest man in the room with the BEST vibes & ppl would literally run over to come see him.