ASM: Tell me a little about your good friend Quentin Tarantino.
Jackson: He's one of the most amazing guys that I've ever met in my entire life. Brilliant man. Party animal. I love him to death. One of the coolest personalities, and just an all-around awesome guy. He's been my favorite director for a long time. It's him and Wes Craven. Those are my boys.
ASM: Speaking of which, you are quite the horror fan.
Jackson: I'm a huge horror fan. HUGE.
ASM: I know that's one of your favorite things to do when you're hanging out with Quentin. What are some of your favorite flicks?
Jackson: I love Freddy Krueger. It's not about the scare with him, he's funny as hell. So I love "Nightmare on Elm Street." The only movies that actually scare me are the spiritual ones like "The Exorcist," which is an all-time classic. Amazing film. "The Sixth Sense" was pretty good to me. I really appreciated that film. Not as far as me being scared, but I appreciated it. Ooh, I love the "Dead" movies. "Night of the Living Dead," "Dawn of the Dead," "Day of the Dead" — love the "Dead" movies. Love it. And honestly, the first movie that creeped me out in a long time was the remake of "Dawn of the Dead." Freaked me out!
ASM: I'm picturing you cruising around L.A. with the theme song to "Halloween" pumping on that stereo system of yours.
Jackson: Those are the ringtones on my cell phone! "Exorcist," "Halloween." It's insane.
ASM: Are you practicing a few screams of your own with the intention of making your own horror flick some day?
Jackson: I want to do a horror film so bad. Oh my God, it's just a matter of finding the right one. I've looked at a few of them, and I just wasn't impressed. Because I'm such a huge horror fanatic, the movie has to be good for me to want to do it.
ASM: Sounds like you and Quentin need to hatch up one of your own.
Jackson: I told him, 'Dude, let's just sit down and have a pow-wow, and make it happen.'
ASM: Your mom has been an incredible influence on your life. Can you tell me a little about that relationship and the strength that she has provided you over the years?
Jackson: My mom, that's my backbone. I wouldn't be where I am without her. I mean, in so many ways. I don't have a nanny or anything like that, but my mom is there with my kids whenever I'm not, which is the only thing that really makes me comfortable. You know, my mom and my sister. But my mom is just one of the most amazing women, and I thank God that I did have her as a role model. Just to see how strong someone could be through so many different obstacles, and so many trials and tribulations. And to just watch this woman triumph over all of them is inspiring.
ASM: Talk a little about being a strong and successful single mother yourself. It seems like that's an image that you really enjoy embracing.
Jackson: You know what, I think I do. And when people that know my mother compare me to her, it almost brings tears to my eyes, because I aspired to be that. Whenever people ask me — 'Well, how can you stay so positive through all this?' — I'm like, 'Dude, my mom, she raised me right.' She's just amazing.
ASM: From the looks of everything, it seems as if your busy schedule has been a blessing from the standpoint of moving onward and upward and not spending a lot of time looking back on everything that happened.
Jackson: You know, I didn't want it to be that way. I didn't want to sit home and mope and think about what I lost. I had to think about all the stuff that I gained. I had a new baby, which is one of the most amazing gifts in the world. So yeah, I lost the man that I loved, but at the same time I really didn't, because he still has to be there, and he's going to be there for the rest of our lives, as long as we handle that situation right. And I think that was one of the main reasons why I responded to things the way I did. It's because I knew that relationship in the long run was more important than being petty and upset, and holding grudges, or being angry and all that. At the end of the day, it isn't just two kids, it's four kids, because he came into my other two kids' lives. They still consider Kevin their stepdad. So with all of that, it was way too much to be lost.
ASM: It seems like you've done a pretty good job of taking control and making the most of a unfortunate situation.
Jackson: That's what I'm all about — taking a negative and turning it into a positive. At the end of the day, I'm a survivor and I'm a trooper, and I refuse to be beat.
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