J.K. Simmons

J.K. Simmons is an actor who has made a name for himself with his diverse performances in film, television, stage, and voice acting. Simmons pursued his love for theater and earned a degree in the field from the University of Montana. He refined his skills in regional theaters and made his Broadway debut in 1992, quickly becoming a dependable character actor.

His notable television roles include portraying the villainous prison inmate Vernon Schillinger on HBO's "Oz" and as Dr. Emil Skoda in three different Law & Order series. He also played Ralph Earnhardt in "3: The Dale Earnhardt Story," appeared as Assistant Chief Will Pope in "The Closer," and portrayed Burt Chance's brother Bruce Chance in "Raising Hope." He also appeared in guest roles in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and "Explained."

In film, Simmons achieved recognition for his role as J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy, a character he reprised in Spider-Man video games, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film, "Spider-Man: Far From Home," and in the various movies including "The Cider House Rules," "Thank You for Smoking," "Juno," "Burn After Reading," "Up in the Air," "Jennifer's Body," "La La Land," "Justice League," and "Palm Springs." Simmons' career soared with his performance in "Whiplash," which won him numerous awards, including the Academy Award, the BAFTA Award, the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Simmons' versatility is also demonstrated in his voice-acting roles. He has lent his voice to characters in "Zootopia," "Kung Fu Panda 3," and "Invincible," and has been the voice behind the Yellow M&M in commercials and video games since 1996. He also provided the voice for characters in video games like "Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3," "Portal 2," "Lego Dimensions," and "Dota 2."

Simmons' recent roles include playing William Frawley in "Being the Ricardos," which earned him another nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and George Zax in the fourth season of "Goliath." Simmons also appeared in Netflix's "The Union" alongside Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry and will feature in Jason Reitman's "Saturday Night."

Off the screen, Simmons is married to film director Michelle Schumacher, and they have two children. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the men's music fraternity, and was appointed King of Bacchus by the Krewe of Bacchus during Mardi Gras 2018. Simmons is also an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers, even throwing the ceremonial first pitch for them on Opening Day in 2015.