Jackson orders Snakes restraining order

Samuel L Jackson had a clause in his contract for high-flying thriller Snakes On A Plane which insisted all reptiles on the set were kept at least 20 feet (6 meters) from him at all times.

The Pulp Fiction star plays a federal agent onboard a plane full of slithering venomous reptiles and made sure he was safe throughout filming.

He says: "My agent was insistent: 'No snakes within 20 feet.' In the beginning they were talking about having rattlesnakes they had taken the venom sacks out of them but I was like, 'Hell no. That don't work for me.'

"I don't have a fear of snakes… When I grew up in the country, when we saw a snake the snake was in a lot more trouble then we were.

"We'd chase it and try to catch it, so we could beat it. I've handled them, I had snakes draped all over me for the photo shoot."