Samuel L. Jackson is breaking one of his own rules for his next role. The actor, who once vowed he would never play a gay man or "kiss a dude" in a movie, has signed on to play gay engineer Tom McCourt in Stephen King's The Cell. 

According to Deadline.com, McCourt is also a former soldier who flees to Boston when a powerful signal broadcast to all cell phones turns the world into bloodthirsty monsters. John Cusack is also expected to star in the film, which will be directed by Paranormal Activity 2's Tod Williams.

Samuel, whose body of work adds up to the highest-grossing of all time, once told Playboy of playing a gay or transgender character, "I don't think people want to see me do that." He later added, "But you know what? If it’s done right and the story is good, I might."

Looks like Jackson has finally found that role.

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(Photo:  Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images)