Samuel L. Jackson Says He Pretended to Be Magic Johnson's Security on Vacation

Samuel L. Jackson would certainly make quite the security guard.

During a Wednesday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the Argylle actor, 75, opened up about his time vacationing with NBA great Magic Johnson, and how he has his own unique methods of blending in when fans approached Johnson, 64.

"When COVID was happening, that was kind of like the best for me in a way," Jackson said. "I'd be with Irving. Everybody knows him. He'd take a picture with the worst person on the planet."

After Kimmel, 56, explained that Jackson and Johnson vacation together every summer, the actor clarified how he gets away with not taking as many photos as his friend.

"During COVID I could have my hat, my sunglasses and my mask on and I pretended to be security," Jackson said. "So I would actually take pictures for other people with him."

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When asked if people have handed Jackson their phones to get a photo with Johnson, the actor clarified: "All the time."

"We have another friend who travels with us, John Palmer. He's Black and bald so they think he's me," Jackson joked. "So he signs a lot of autographs and takes a lot of pictures, too."

Kimmel also suggested that instead of taking the photos for unsuspecting fans, Jackson should turn their phone cameras around and take a selfie. "Imma do that, it's gonna happen," he replied.

Jackson has previously discussed his time vacationing with Johnson, telling Kimmel in 2022 that the pair take an annual luxury boat trip.

Elsewhere during his latest talk show sit-down, Jackson opened up about turning 75 in December. The MCU star said he spent the day sharing sushi with his team and answering congratulatory text messages.

At the premiere of Argylle last week, Jackson caught up with PEOPLE about the milestone birthday and how he celebrated despite promoting the new movie. “I had a nice sushi dinner and went to sleep,” Jackson said of how he “quietly” spent his Dec. 21 birthday. 

Jackson also discussed his favorite part about working on the new film, which is directed by Matthew Vaughn and stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa, Ariana DeBose, and John Cena. In Argylle, Jackson plays an ally to Howard's Elly Conway, a “reclusive author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, whose idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie,” per the film's official synopsis.

“Working with Sam [Rockwell]. ‘Cause I’ve known him forever and we’ve been in four movies together and this is the first time that we actually got to be face-to-face on a camera. It was kind of great,” Jackson told PEOPLE of a highlight during his time filming.

Argylle arrives in theaters in the U.S. on Friday.