HOLLYWOOD -- In the 1970s, lawman John Shaft was the coolest, hippest dude on the planet.

When director John Singleton announced he was bringing John Shaft into the new millennium, dozens of actors applied for the job.

Singleton says there was no contest.

"Sam Jackson is the coolest actor on the planet. He was a natural to play Shaft. My only suggestion to Sam was to have Shaft be bald," says Singleton.

"For African Americans, the shaved head is currently the ultimate symbol of masculinity and Shaft is one sexy dude."

When Singleton initially approached Jackson, the actor was less than enthusiastic about stepping into the shoes of one of the icons of '70s cinema.

"I didn't think we needed a remake of Shaft. No actor could possibly have accomplished what Richard Roundtree did in those original Shaft movies," recalls Jackson.

"When John assured me his movie was not intended to be a remake, I reconsidered. I insisted that John put Richard into the film, so everyone would see that this was not a remake, but a continuation."

Jackson plays Roundtree's nephew whom he calls "a new hero for a new time.

"In Richard's movies, it was Shaft against the system. He was taking on 'the man.' For my Shaft, it's about drugs and racial issues."

It's not long before Jackson's Shaft butts heads with his seniors and hands in his badge.

"The script had Shaft taking matters into his own hands. He's less than gentle with the scum he encounters.

"That's why I didn't want him to be a cop for the whole movie. I told the studio it would be wrong for me to beat up people and still be a cop. It would send out the wrong message.

"This may just be a summer popcorn movie with guns and car chases, but it still has to be responsible."

In the original Shaft movies, the hero made as many conquests in the bedroom as he did arrests on the street.

Not so in the new Shaft, which opens Friday.

"In the '70s, it was cool to sleep with five or six women in a movie. According to the studio (Paramount Pictures), it's not so cool these days unless you're James Bond.

"I really wanted at least one hot sex scene, but they wouldn't even give me that."

Jackson says Shaft was one of the most important cinematic influences in his early life.

"I saw Shaft when I was in college. I remember that I went alone and was deeply affected by it.

"For the first time I was watching an action movie hero who looked like me, sounded like me and dressed and acted the way I wanted to dress and act."

The impact of that movie lingered.

"The first time I met Richard was on a golf course.

"The whole day I kept saying to myself that I was playing golf with John Shaft."

Though Roundtree's Shaft remains one of Jackson's icons, he says it wasn't all that difficult to become the new Shaft.

"It was my idea to add the sculpted beard. I thought it was a great complement to the bald head.

"Once you have that look and you put on those designer clothes, it's easy to become Shaft."

The look impressed more than Jackson.

"We were filming in New York. I'd have to walk through the streets to get from my trailer to the areas where we were shooting," recalls Jackson.

"Almost every day a woman would comment on how much better I looked in real life than I do in my movies.

"I never thought I looked like a troll, but this new look definitely works for the women."

Jackson's 18-year-old daughter was not all that impressed by her father's sexy new look.

"She's in college. It's not cool for her to think I'm cool.

"But she still thinks Richard is cool. She had a poster of Richard in her bedroom when she was in junior high.

"It's been 30 years and Richard is still the symbol of cool, sexy and tough. That's a good part of the reason I wanted to be the new Shaft."

Jackson has signed for at least two Shaft sequels.

"At the end of our film, I say I'm joining Richard's private eye firm.

"In the next films, I'd like to see Richard have a much more proactive role. I'd like to see us team up to solve crimes."


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