Actor Samuel L. Jackson has turned down the chance to work with one of his movie icons - because it's in a film starring hip-hop rap artist 50 Cent.

The actor has always wanted to work with Irish movie-maker Jim Sheridan and was thrilled when he heard he was being targeted for a new film by the ''In America'' director - and then he realised the role was opposite rapper 50 Cent in his movie debut.

The actor has been extremely vocal about sharing the stage with unproven actors, and felt he had to turn down Sheridan's offer.

He says, "Hollywood people tend to think that because one is successful in one aspect of entertainment they can bring them into this particular world and make a success out of them.

"They ask people like me to be in a film with those people that they are kind of headlining and your name ends up behind them.

"If you do that, it sanctions the fact that these people come into this world and you think they are worthy of you sharing your time on screen with them. I don''t particularly think that.

"A month or so ago, someone called me about the 50 Cent movie and I''m like, ''What are you calling me for?'' I don''t even need to read that because that's not something I want to do.

"I like listening to 50 Cent and I can groove to his music but I don''t want to groove to him on screen, just yet. Maybe if he does five movies and he shows some talent.

"I mean how does he get to work with Jim Sheridan and I don''t. What is it about 50 Cent that makes Jim Sheridan say, ''I''d really like to make a movie with him.''"

Source