LL Cool J: ‘Hip-hop isn’t underdog music any more’

Thomas Jane said that while making the movie Deep Blue Sea, the first time an animatronic shark swam towards him, he felt a primal fear and had to get out of the water. Did you have a similar reaction? 99intheshadeI had an even worse experience because one of them almost drowned me. At that time the animatronic sharks weren’t AI; they were controlled by a guy with a joystick. He pushed the button, the shark grabbed my leg, then they called lunch and the shark just parked me underwater. After I managed to pull my leg out and get out of there, there was one dude left on set sitting there with a cigarette and he went: “I guess you made it out, huh?” Making that film was dangerous, with a lot of water flying around, but it was a great experience. I had a fun time working with Sam [L Jackson]. Watching him get eaten was my favourite part.