Samuel L. Jackson considers this character his favorite, and his choice might be surprising.

Samuel L. Jackson has done quite a bit throughout his decades-long career. In fact, he’s known for playing many iconic characters, some of whom became even more popular thanks to him, whether it’s Jules from Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Mace Windu from Star Wars, Nick Fury from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or Zeus from Die Hard 3. There’s a lot to choose from when it comes to picking a favorite Jackson character. However, interestingly, the star didn’t pick the most obvious ones; instead, he named Mitch Hennessy, the lead character from The Long Kiss Goodnight, as his favorite.

"My favorite is this quirky private detective, this crazy guy, Mitch Hennessy from The Long Kiss Goodnight. Mitch is the guy who messes things up but still steps in and stands up for his partner, Charly," Jackson explained a few years ago while on The Tonight Show.

Many might not choose this character as their favorite Jackson role, but he is undeniably a lovable and complex guy who gets caught up in quite a mess. In the 1996 action thriller, Mitch is an unlucky private investigator who used to be a cop but was even jailed for theft, and his family life is in ruins. His latest case could be a big break for him, as he’s hired by a mysterious client to investigate her past. This client turns out to be an apparently average schoolteacher (Samantha / Charly, played by Geena Davis) who suffers from amnesia and doesn’t know she was once a feared CIA agent and a deadly weapon. As the investigation unfolds, both of them find themselves in trouble, so they must team up.

The action thriller, made for $65M, was written by Shane Black (Predator, Lethal Weapon 1-2) and directed by Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger). The film grossed $96M during its theatrical run, received mostly positive reviews, and has since gained cult status.