Characters who appear in Shaft, Shaft (2000) and Shaft (2019)
The Shaft Family
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John Shaft
John Shaft Sr.
"He's a complicated man, but no one understands him but his woman!
(JOHN SHAFT!)"
(JOHN SHAFT!)"
Played By: Richard Roundtree
Appearances: Shaft | Shaft's Big Score | Shaft in Africa | Shaft (2000) | Shaft (2019)
"They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother—
(SHUT YOUR MOUTH!)
But I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft.
(THEN WE CAN DIG IT!)"
(SHUT YOUR MOUTH!)
But I'm talkin' 'bout Shaft.
(THEN WE CAN DIG IT!)"
A private detective who operates in Harlem.
- Badbutt: In the series of TV movies, Shaft got downgraded to a Bad Melon Farmer in order to avoid offending TV audiences.
- Cool Old Guy: By the 2019 film, Shaft is old enough to be a grandpa, but still won't cop out when danger's all about.
- Guile Hero: Shaft's cunning is one of his greatest assets.
- Private Detective: You're damn right he is.
- Really Gets Around: As stated by Isaac Hayes, he's a sex machine to all the chicks.
- Soul Brotha: He's black, he's funky, he's kickass, he's a bad motherf— Shut your mouth!
John Shaft II
John Shaft II/Jr.
Played By: Samuel L. Jackson
Appearances: Shaft (2000) | Shaft (2019)
Shaft's nephew/son, a former NYPD officer-turned-private investigator.
- Contrasting Sequel Main Character: Shaft Jr is a cop (a Cowboy Cop, but a cop nonetheless) and far more action-oriented than his uncle/father Shaft Sr, an anti-authoritarian PI who tended to sweet-talk information out of someone where possible, and was far more successful with women.
- Cowboy Cop: When requested to turn in his badge, he does so by throwing it like a shuriken, causing it to embed itself in the wall next to a judge's head. Awesome? Very much so.
- Like Father, Unlike Son: More pronounced in the 2019 film; his father Shaft Sr is a smooth gentleman, whereas he is a cynical jerk.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: In the 2019 film, he's the streetwise wise-cracking Manly Man to his son's JJ nerdy, peaceful Sensitive Guy.
JJ
John "JJ" Shaft III
Played By: Jessie T. Usher
Appearances: Shaft (2019)
Shaft Jr's son and Shaft Sr's grandson, a rookie FBI analyst.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: He subdued a man with Capoeira in a Bar Brawl, while he was drunk.
- Doesn't Like Guns: JJ mentions to his father several times that he has a disdain for guns. On occasion, however, he won't hesitate to use one whenever a shootout occurs.JJ: I said I didn't like guns. I didn't say I can't shoot.
- Like Father, Unlike Son: JJ is quite nerdy and bumbling, unlike his father John Shaft II, who feels he has to "babysit his ass".
- New Meat: JJ is not quite prepared for some extreme situations his father and grandfather can handle as they're hardened veterans from much different eras.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: The nerdy, peaceful Sensitive Guy to his father's streetwise wise-cracking Manly Man.
- Wouldn't Hit a Girl: He refuses to hit women, even in situations where he should defend himself; when he and his father confront a baseball bat-wielding woman, JJ never lays a finger on her. She ends up punching him.
