What role did Paul Newman play in Cool Hand Luke?

In the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke, Paul Newman played the title character, Luke Jackson.

Luke is a banjo-playing nonconformist and antihero who is sentenced to a Southern chain gang for a petty crime. Throughout the film, he serves as a symbol of defiance, repeatedly challenging the authority of the prison warden and guards. His refusal to submit to his jailers inspires his fellow inmates, though his persistent rebellion ultimately leads to tragedy. Newman’s portrayal of this wisecracking rebel is considered one of his most highly regarded performances and earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor.1