--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was actually a lot more helpful to…" description: "\"It was actually a lot more helpful to have Calvin Hart, a cop, as my template. He was also my technical advisor on Shaft. This time, I kinda got to go ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/samuel-l-jackson-3595_advisors_it-was-actually-a-lot-more-helpful-to-ha_792120.jpg" --- # It was actually a lot more helpful to have Calvin Hart, a… ![“It was actually a lot more helpful to have Calvin Hart, a cop, as my template. He was also my technical advisor on Shaft. This time, I kinda got to go to Jersey City with him, and hang around, and watch him interact with other cops, people in the projects, and see what it means to be him. People…” quote by Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/samuel-l-jackson-3595_advisors_it-was-actually-a-lot-more-helpful-to-ha_792120.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/samuel-l-jackson-3595_advisors_it-was-actually-a-lot-more-helpful-to-ha_792120.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/samuel-l-jackson-3595_advisors_it-was-actually-a-lot-more-helpful-to-ha_792120.jpg) > “It was actually a lot more helpful to have Calvin Hart, a cop, as my template. He was also my technical advisor on Shaft. This time, I kinda got to go to Jersey City with him, and hang around, and watch him interact with other cops, people in the projects, and see what it means to be him. People call him 'Big Daddy' and he's this larger-than-life hero to a lot of people.” [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning from a real police officer gave authentic insight into the character and environment, shaping a more believable performance. **In simple terms:** Real experience improves acting authenticity. Key Takeaway Seek real-world mentors for deeper understanding. Themes authenticity mentorship character development Mood reflective inspired Type educational practical When to use this quote - pre‑production research - character workshops - field immersion - community engagement Key Concepts method acting social observation street culture Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance lived experience with creative interpretation? - What other sources could enrich a character? A Different Perspective Reliance on a single source may limit perspective; broader research is also needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advisor Shaft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advisor-shaft-6081675/) [Advisors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advisors/) [Big daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-daddy/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Calvin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calvin-hart-6081674/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop/) [Cop Template](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cop-template-6081676/) [Daddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daddy/) [Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hart/) [Hart Cop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hart-cop-6081673/) [Helpful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpful/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Jersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jersey/) [Jersey city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jersey-city/) [Larger than life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/larger-than-life/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) ## Related quotes > [The way I survived growing up in Jersey City was by being funny. It wasn't by being tough. Nobody thought of me as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/the-way-i-survived-growing-up-in-jersey-city-was-by-being-funny-it/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) > [I believe the challenge the city faces is attracting continued development into the inner and western part of Jersey City. Nobody should be left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-the-challenge-the-city-faces-is-attracting-continued/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Growing up in Jersey City was interesting. I got to learn a lot about different cultures: I had Hindu friends, Middle Eastern friends, black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/growing-up-in-jersey-city-was-interesting-i-got-to-learn-a-lot-about/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) > [I don't write police stories, per se, but I usually write about areas that are very panoramic, like Harlem, or the Lower East Side,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-price/i-don-t-write-police-stories-per-se-but-i-usually-write-about-areas/) [Richard Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-price/) > [“Depending on your point of view, Jersey City was the rose, or possibly the thorn, of the Garden State. It is so far back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/depending-on-your-point-of-view-jersey-city-was-the-rose-or-possibly/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/) > [And the storm went on. It roared, it bellowed, and it screeched: it thumped and it kerwhalloped. The great seas would come bunt agin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-e-richards/and-the-storm-went-on-it-roared-it-bellowed-and-it-screeched-it/) [Laura E. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-e-richards/) > [“They came out into the open, and it was the grimy backwaters of Jersey City now. Tall factory stacks, and fires burning, and spreads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornell-woolrich/they-came-out-into-the-open-and-it-was-the-grimy-backwaters-of-jersey/) [Cornell Woolrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornell-woolrich/) > [If I had stayed in Jersey City or Florida, I would definitely be in an unhappy marriage in an apartment with beige carpet and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/if-i-had-stayed-in-jersey-city-or-florida-i-would-definitely-be-in-an/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [I was born in Jersey City and raised in Bayonne, New Jersey. It's a town that's next to Jersey City, and I'm still there!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-blanchard/i-was-born-in-jersey-city-and-raised-in-bayonne-new-jersey-it-s-a/) [Tammy Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-blanchard/) > [“Also, she had been secretary to the soccer coach, an office pretty much without laurels in our own time, but apparently the post for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/also-she-had-been-secretary-to-the-soccer-coach-an-office-pretty-much/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [When I was about 11, 12, we moved to Jersey City. Everywhere I go I'm an outsider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/when-i-was-about-11-12-we-moved-to-jersey-city-everywhere-i-go-i-m-an/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) > [ With me, Im a big fan of brothers like Slick Rick and Rakim and \[Big Daddy\] Kane and Biz \[Markie\] and all them cats.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/with-me-im-a-big-fan-of-brothers-like-slick-rick-and-rakim-and-big/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [I realized pretty much everything I did wrong with 'Long Live the Kane' and went right back in and did 'It's a Big Daddy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-daddy-kane/i-realized-pretty-much-everything-i-did-wrong-with-long-live-the-kane/) [Big Daddy Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-daddy-kane/) > [I was listening to Chuck D, KRS, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, all the greats, studying them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-ren/i-was-listening-to-chuck-d-krs-rakim-big-daddy-kane-all-the-greats/) [MC Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-ren/) > [“Beckett wrapped a huge arm around Kyle's waist and slammed her body into his. "Sometimes when girls advertise, they get what they're asking for."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/beckett-wrapped-a-huge-arm-around-kyle-s-waist-and-slammed-her-body/) [debra anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) ## More by Samuel L. Jackson > [I'm sure there are a lot of Italians who refer to themselves as goombahs and greaseballs and whatever. That's what people do. It gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-m-sure-there-are-a-lot-of-italians-who-refer-to-themselves-as/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Take a stand for what's right. Raise a ruckus and make a change. You may not always be popular, but you'll be part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/take-a-stand-for-what-s-right-raise-a-ruckus-and-make-a-change-you/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Quentin Tarantino was talking about Ordell a little bit, and I was like, "I'm sure Ordell is one of those people who thought Superfly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/quentin-tarantino-was-talking-about-ordell-a-little-bit-and-i-was/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [ I grew up in the South with guns everywhere and we never shot anyone. This \[shooting\] is about people who aren't taught the value… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-grew-up-in-the-south-with-guns-everywhere-and-we-never-shot-anyone/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [“Hold on to your butts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/hold-on-to-your-butts/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I was desperate on Coming To America set - not to buy drugs or anything, but I had a person at home, a girlfriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-was-desperate-on-coming-to-america-set-not-to-buy-drugs-or-anything/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Jackson doesn't bother to read the scripts anymore. He just checks to make sure he has one loud scene where he gets to shout,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/jackson-doesn-t-bother-to-read-the-scripts-anymore-he-just-checks-to/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [Because of where I come from, I never thought I'd see in my life a black candidate running for President.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/because-of-where-i-come-from-i-never-thought-i-d-see-in-my-life-a/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [When you start to talk about comic books, a lot of the time, people forget about the comic part of it. They need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/when-you-start-to-talk-about-comic-books-a-lot-of-the-time-people/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I guess the worst day I have had was when I had to stand up in rehab in front of my wife and daughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-guess-the-worst-day-i-have-had-was-when-i-had-to-stand-up-in-rehab/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I understood, through rehab, things about creating characters. I understood that creating whole people means knowing where we come from, how we can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-understood-through-rehab-things-about-creating-characters-i/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [When the riots happened in L.A., they didn't go to Beverly Hills to trash Rodeo Drive. They trashed their own neighborhoods. It's one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/when-the-riots-happened-in-l-a-they-didn-t-go-to-beverly-hills-to/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [If you have an opportunity to use your voice you should use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/if-you-have-an-opportunity-to-use-your-voice-you-should-use-it/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [What kills me is that everybody thinks I like Jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/what-kills-me-is-that-everybody-thinks-i-like-jazz/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) > [I think the biggest challenges for franchises are keeping them fresh and exciting, and most times, you need a good bad guy to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-l-jackson/i-think-the-biggest-challenges-for-franchises-are-keeping-them-fresh/) [Samuel L. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) [Explore all 126 Samuel L. Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-l-jackson/) ## More Advisors quotes > [If you don't like the idea that most of the money spent on lottery tickets supports government programs, you should know that most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-don-t-like-the-idea-that-most-of-the-money-spent-on-lottery/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. 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His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-iger/steve-jobs-was-a-great-friend-as-well-as-a-trusted-advisor-his-legacy/) [Bob Iger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-iger/) > [“Advisors who rate the highest on reliability will not just deliver their work on time and on spec. Nor will they simply be consistent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/advisors-who-rate-the-highest-on-reliability-will-not-just-deliver/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [National security advisors are not there to be advocates, generally. They're not there to be partisans, they're not there to be ideologues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/national-security-advisors-are-not-there-to-be-advocates-generally/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [“Choose and create a circle of proper advisors around you. Do not discuss your project with your relatives, neighbor, grandmother, friends’ friends, pastor, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmytro-zaporozhtsev/choose-and-create-a-circle-of-proper-advisors-around-you-do-not/) [Dmytro Zaporozhtsev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmytro-zaporozhtsev/) > [When you start really respecting yourself, those you love, and your money, the result is that you start having control over your money. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/when-you-start-really-respecting-yourself-those-you-love-and-your/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [... true financial freedom doesn't depend on how much money you have. Financial freedom is when you have power over your fears and anxieties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/true-financial-freedom-doesn-t-depend-on-how-much-money-you-have/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [I can't imagine living a life without God in my life. He is my best friend, He's my buddy, He's the one that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-can-t-imagine-living-a-life-without-god-in-my-life-he-is-my-best/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [Among the most disheartening and dangerous of . . . advisors, you will often find those closest to you, your dearest friends, members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-maddern-fiske/among-the-most-disheartening-and-dangerous-of-advisors-you-will-often/) [Minnie Maddern Fiske](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-maddern-fiske/) > [ \[What if my advisor talks only about returns, not risk?\] ... It's his job to take risk into account by telling you the range… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-forsyth-sharpe/what-if-my-advisor-talks-only-about-returns-not-risk-it-s-his-job-to/) [William Forsyth Sharpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-forsyth-sharpe/) > [I probably have a small number of people that are consistently advisors and mentors, but I'm much more likely to have a broader array…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-minshew/i-probably-have-a-small-number-of-people-that-are-consistently/) [Kathryn Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-minshew/) > [Love points the way. Desire is its ignorant advisor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elfriede-jelinek/love-points-the-way-desire-is-its-ignorant-advisor/) [Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/) [Browse all 114 Advisors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advisors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was actually a lot more helpful to have Calvin Hart, a cop, as my template. He was also my technical advisor on Shaft. This time, I kinda got to go to Jersey City with him, and hang around, and watch him interact with other cops, people in the projects, and see what it means to be him. People call him 'Big Daddy' and he's this larger-than-life hero to a lot of people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel L. 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