Just shy of his 60th birthday and with more than 100 movies under his belt, Hollywood's king of cool says he's only half way through his career. That assessment not withstanding the film elite thought it an opportune moment to present Samuel L Jackson with one of Hollywood's highest honours this week.

Star Wars director George Lucas presided over the American Cinematheque award ceremony, along with robots R2D2 and C3PO, with whom the actor shared the screen in the space epic as Jedi warrior Mace Windu.

The guest list reflected the versatility of an actor whose on screen performances range from a light sabre-brandishing 'knight' to a Bible-quoting killer in Pulp Fiction. As well as the sci-fi crew, Andy Garcia, Justin Timberlake and Sharon Stone were present to help fete the cinematic luminary.

As was Kerry Washington, his co-star in Lakeview Terrace, a thriller in which his character, an LAPD cop, terrorises a couple because he disapproves of their interracial marriages.

Asked why Samuel's so cool, Kerry quipped: "He takes cool vitamins three times a day".

"He's very laid back, really silly, very funny but he also takes his job very seriously," she added. "I never saw him on set with a script at any point because he knows every single line, he knows every moment inside and out."