Imagine a world where Jules Winnfield, the most quotable hitman in cinematic history, wasn't played by Samuel L. Jackson. No "Path of the Righteous Man." No terrifyingly calm burger-eating. No Jheri curls. It sounds like sacrilege to any movie fan, but it almost happened because of a guy named Paul Calderon.
Most people watch Pulp Fiction and see Calderon as "Paul," the bartender at Marsellus Wallace’s social club. He’s the one who tells Butch that Marsellus is waiting for him. It’s a small role. Functional. But behind that brief appearance lies one of the most stressful casting dramas in 90s Hollywood.
The Audition That Changed Everything
Quentin Tarantino actually wrote the part of Jules with Samuel L. Jackson in mind. They’d met before, and Tarantino loved Jackson's vibe. But in the weird, non-linear reality of filmmaking, having a part "written for you" doesn't always mean you just show up and start filming.
Jackson flew in for what he thought was a simple chemistry read. He wasn't particularly "on." He treated it like a casual meeting.
Then Paul Calderon walked in.
Calderon was a New York stage veteran. He’d done King of New York with Christopher Walken and Bad Lieutenant with Harvey Keitel. The guy had serious grit. When he read for Jules, he didn't just "read" it—he killed it. Tarantino and producer Lawrence Bender were floored. Suddenly, the "guaranteed" role for Jackson was leaning heavily toward Calderon.
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The Burger and the Blowup
Word got back to Samuel L. Jackson that he was losing his spot. He was, in his own words, "angry, pissed, and tired."
When he flew back to L.A. for a second chance, everything went wrong. He arrived at the studio and the casting assistants mistook him for Laurence Fishburne. (Side note: Fishburne had actually turned down the role earlier because he didn't like the heroin subplots).
Jackson was starving. He’d picked up a burger and a shake on the way. He walked into the audition room—late, sweaty, and radiating pure, unadulterated menace—clutching his fast food. He stood there, staring down the producers while taking a slow, aggressive sip of his shake.
That specific energy? That "I might actually kill everyone in this room" look? That became the blueprint for Jules. Jackson didn't just win the role back; he defined the character’s most iconic scene. The way Jules eats Brett’s Big Kahuna burger in the movie is a direct callback to the way Jackson intimidated the producers in that room.
Who is Paul Calderon, Anyway?
It’s easy to view Calderon as the guy who "lost," but that’s a narrow way to look at a massive career. He’s a heavyweight in the indie scene. Born in Puerto Rico and raised on the Lower East Side, Calderon has that authentic NYC intensity you can't fake.
If you’ve seen Boardwalk Empire, you know him as Arquimedes. If you’re a fan of Bosch, he was Detective Jimmy Robertson. He didn't just disappear after Pulp Fiction.
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Tarantino clearly respected his talent enough to keep him in the mix. Beyond the bartender role, Calderon popped up in Tarantino's segment of Four Rooms (1995) as Norman, the guy about to lose a finger in a high-stakes bet.
Honestly, the "what if" is fascinating. Calderon’s Jules would have likely been more grounded, more "street," and perhaps more quietly dangerous. Jackson’s Jules was operatic. He was a preacher with a 9mm. Both would have been great, but only one changed the DNA of pop culture.
The Reality of Casting "Sliding Doors"
The Pulp Fiction casting list is a graveyard of "almosts."
- Matt Dillon was the first choice for Butch (the role went to Bruce Willis).
- Michael Madsen was supposed to be Vincent Vega, but he stayed loyal to Wyatt Earp instead, clearing the path for John Travolta's massive comeback.
- Paul Calderon was minutes away from being the co-lead.
Instead, he became a "deep cut" fact for movie nerds. He’s the bridge between the high-octane world of Tarantino and the gritty, 70s-style character acting of guys like Al Pacino (who he worked with in Sea of Love).
What We Can Learn from the Paul Calderon Story
- Never "just" a reading: In any professional setting, there’s no such thing as a casual meeting. Jackson almost lost the job of a lifetime because he didn't treat the first encounter as a performance.
- Vibe over Script: Sometimes the way you carry yourself into a room (or how you eat a burger) is more important than how you deliver the lines.
- Grace in the "Loss": Calderon took the smaller role and delivered it perfectly. He stayed in the "Tarantino-verse" and continued a prolific career that has lasted over 40 years.
If you want to see Calderon at his best, don't just stop at his three minutes of screen time in Pulp Fiction. Check out King of New York or his writing work on the original Bad Lieutenant. The man is a legend in his own right, even if he isn't the one reciting Ezekiel 25:17 on a t-shirt in every dorm room in America.
Next Step: Watch the scene in Pulp Fiction where Butch meets Marsellus at the bar. Pay close attention to Paul the bartender. Notice how he carries himself—that’s the guy who almost beat Samuel L. Jackson at his own game.