J. K. Simmons is an American actor, considered one of the most prolific and well-established character actors of his generation.[1] [2] He has appeared in over 200 films and television roles since his debut in 1986 with film roles including J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), Thank You for Smoking with Aaron Eckhart (2005), Juno (2007), Whiplash with Miles Teller (2014), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, La La Land with Ryan Gosling (2016), Commissioner James Gordon in Justice League (2017), and William Frawley in Being the Ricardos (2021). He reprised his role as Jameson in various Marvel Studios media unrelated to the Raimi trilogy, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe films (2019) and (2021), the Sony's Spider-Man Universe film (2021) and voiced him in the animated film (2023).[3] He has also voiced J. Jonah Jameson in a multitude of animated television shows.
On television, he is known for playing Dr. Emil Skoda in the Law & Order franchise (1997–2010), white supremacist prisoner Vernon Schillinger on the HBO series Oz (1997–2003), and Assistant Police Chief Will Pope on the TNT series The Closer (2005–2012). From 2017 to 2019, he starred as Howard Silk in the Starz series Counterpart. In 2020, he had recurring roles on the miniseries Defending Jacob and The Stand.
As a voice artist, he is known for voicing Magister Prior Gilhil on and , Cave Johnson in the video game Portal 2 (2011) and its spin-off Aperture Desk Job (2022), Tenzin in The Legend of Korra (2012–2014), Stanford "Ford" Pines in the second season of Gravity Falls (2015–2016), Kai in Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), Mayor Leodore Lionheart in Zootopia (2016), the titular character in Klaus (2019), Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man in Invincible (2021–present) and Mortal Kombat 1 (2023), and as Captain Putty in Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022).
Year | Title | Role | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1994 | The Ref | Colonel Siskel | [4] | ||
The Scout | Assistant Coach | [5] | |||
1996 | The First Wives Club | Federal Marshal | [6] | ||
Extreme Measures | Dr. Mingus | [7] | |||
1997 | Love Walked In | Mr. Shulman | |||
Crossing Fields | Guy | [8] | |||
The Jackal | Timothy I. Witherspoon | [9] | |||
Anastasia | Additional Voices | [10] | |||
1998 | Celebrity | Souvenir Hawker | [11] | ||
Above Freezing | Hoyd | [12] | |||
1999 | Hit and Runway | Ray Tilman | |||
The Cider House Rules | Ray Kendall | [13] | |||
For Love of the Game | Frank Perry | [14] | |||
I Lost My M in Vegas | Yellow | Voice, short film | |||
2000 | Autumn in New York | Dr. Tom Grandy | [15] | ||
The Gift | Sheriff Pearl Johnson | [16] | |||
2001 | The Mexican | Ted Slocum | [17] | ||
2002 | Spider-Man | J. Jonah Jameson | [18] | ||
2003 | Disposal | Old-Age Hunter | Short film | ||
Off the Map | George | ||||
2004 | Hidalgo | William "Buffalo Bill" Cody | [19] | ||
The Ladykillers | Garth Pancake | [20] | |||
Spider-Man 2 | J. Jonah Jameson | [21] | |||
2005 | Thank You for Smoking | B.R. | [22] | ||
Pom Poko | Seizaemon | Voice, English dub | [23] [24] | ||
Harsh Times | Agent Richards | [25] | |||
2006 | First Snow | Vacaro | |||
The Astronaut Farmer | Jacobson | [26] | |||
2007 | Spider-Man 3 | J. Jonah Jameson | [27] | ||
Postal | Candidate Welles | [28] | |||
Juno | Mac MacGuff | [29] | |||
Rendition | Lee Mayer | [30] | |||
2008 | Burn After Reading | CIA Superior | [31] | ||
2009 | The Vicious Kind | Donald Sinclaire | [32] | ||
New in Town | Stu Kopenhafer | [33] | |||
The Way of War | Sergeant Mitchell | ||||
Red Sands | Lieutenant Colonel Arson | ||||
I Love You, Man | Oswald Klaven | [34] | |||
Aliens in the Attic | Skip | Voice | [35] | ||
Post Grad | Roy Davies | [36] | |||
Extract | Brian | [37] | |||
Up in the Air | Bob | [38] | |||
Jennifer's Body | Mr. Wroblewski | [39] | |||
2010 | The Narrator | Voice, documentary | [40] | ||
Crazy on the Outside | Ed | [41] | |||
An Invisible Sign | Mr. Jones | [42] | |||
A Beginner's Guide to Endings | Uncle Pal | [43] | |||
Megamind | Warden | Voice | [44] | ||
Gruff K-9 | [45] | ||||
True Grit | J. Noble Daggett | Voice, uncredited | |||
2011 | The Music Never Stopped | Henry Sawyer | [46] | ||
The Good Doctor | Detective Krauss | [47] | |||
Blackstone | Detective Burke | Short film | |||
Young Adult | Mavis's Publisher | Voice, uncredited | [48] | ||
2012 | The Words | Mr. Jansen | [49] | ||
Contraband | Captain Camp | [50] | |||
Adventure Planet | President of Capitol State | Voice | |||
2013 | Jobs | Arthur Rock | [51] | ||
Dark Skies | Edwin Pollard | [52] | |||
3 Geezers! | J. Kimball | [53] | |||
Labor Day | Mr. Jervis | [54] | |||
The Heeler | Roscoe | Short film | |||
The Magic Bracelet | The Shaman | ||||
Whiplash (2013) | Terence Fletcher | [55] | |||
2014 | Whiplash (2014) | ||||
Barefoot | Dr. Bertleman | [56] | |||
Break Point | Jack | ||||
The Boxcar Children | Dr. Moore | Voice | [57] | ||
Murder of a Cat | Sheriff Frank Hoyle | [58] | |||
The Rewrite | Dr. Hal Lerner | [59] | |||
Men, Women & Children | Allison's Dad | [60] | |||
Ava & Lala | General Tiger | Voice | |||
2015 | The Jay Z Story | Nas | Short film | ||
April and the Extraordinary World | Rodrigue | Voice | |||
Terminator Genisys | O'Brien | [61] | |||
The Meddler | "Zipper" | [62] | |||
Worlds Apart | Sebastian | [63] | |||
2016 | Kung Fu Panda 3 | Kai | Voice | [64] | |
Zootopia | Mayor Lionheart | ||||
Punching Henry | Jay Warren | ||||
La La Land | Bill | [65] | |||
The Late Bloomer | James Newmans | [66] | |||
The Accountant | Ray King | [67] | |||
Patriots Day | Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese | [68] | |||
2017 | Rock Dog | Khampa | Voice | ||
All Nighter | Mr. Gallo | [69] | |||
The Black Ghiandola | Ralph Aceto | Short film | [70] | ||
The Bachelors | Bill Palet | [71] | |||
Renegades | Levin | [72] | |||
I'm Not Here | Steve | [73] | |||
The Snowman | Arve Stop | ||||
Justice League | James Gordon | [74] | |||
Father Figures | Roland Hunt | [75] | |||
2018 | A Boy Called Sailboat | Ernest | |||
Dr. Moore | Voice | ||||
The Front Runner | Bill Dixon | [76] | |||
2019 | Fanboy | J.K., Frank Perry | Short film | ||
J. Jonah Jameson | Cameo | ||||
3 Days with Dad | Joey | ||||
Klaus | Klaus | Voice | |||
21 Bridges | Captain Matt McKenna | ||||
2020 | Palm Springs | Roy Schlieffen | |||
2021< | -- Do not add "Zack Snyder's Justice League", as Simmons recorded no new footage for it. --> | The Tomorrow War | James Forester | ||
Ride the Eagle | Carl | ||||
J. Jonah Jameson | Uncredited cameo; mid-credits scene | ||||
Seal Team | Claggart | Voice | |||
Ivo Shandor | Cameo | ||||
Being the Ricardos | William Frawley | ||||
National Champions | Coach James Lazor | ||||
J. Jonah Jameson | [77] | ||||
2022 | Morbius | Cameo; deleted scenes | [78] | ||
Marmaduke | Zeus | Voice | |||
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers | Captain Putty | ||||
Glorious | Ghatanothoa | [79] | |||
2023 | Little Brother | Warren Duffy | |||
One Day as a Lion | Walter Boggs | [80] | |||
Rally Road Racers | Gnash | Voice | [81] | ||
J. Jonah Jameson | [82] | ||||
Ben | |||||
2024 | You Can't Run Forever | Wade | [83] | ||
The Union | Tom Brennan | [84] | |||
Saturday Night | Milton Berle | [85] | |||
Juror #2 | Harold | [86] | |||
Red One | Santa Claus | [87] | |||
2025 | The Accountant 2 | Ray King | Post-production | [88] | |
Hypergalactic | Post-production; voice | [89] | |||
The Prince | [90] | ||||
Reykjavik | George Shultz | Filming | [91] |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1986 | Popeye Doyle | Patrolman In Park | Television film | ||
1987 | All My Children | RCMP Sergeant | 1 episode | ||
1994 | Law & Order | Jerry Luppin | Episode: "Sanctuary" | ||
1995 | New York News | Actor | Episode: "Welcome Back Cotter" | ||
The Adventures of Pete & Pete | Barber Dan | Episode: "Saturday" | |||
1996 | Colonel Alexander Rausch | Episode: "For God and Country" | |||
Swift Justice | Mel Turman | Episode: "Stones" | |||
1996 & 1998 | New York Undercover | Sergeant Treadway, Dr. Emil Skoda | 2 episodes | ||
1997 | Face Down | Herb Aames | Television film | ||
Spin City | Kevin | Episode: "Hot in the City" | |||
1997–2003 | Oz | Vernon Schillinger | 56 episodes | ||
1997–2010 | Law & Order | Dr. Emil Skoda | 44 episodes | ||
1998 | Remember WENN | Captain Amazon | Episode: "All's Noisy on the Pittsburgh Front" | ||
1999–2015 | Saturday Night Live | Vern Schillinger, Himself (host) | 2 episodes | ||
2000 | Third Watch | Frank Hagonon | Episode: "Demolition Derby" | ||
2000–2001 | Dr. Emil Skoda | 6 episodes | |||
2002 | Path to War | CIA Briefer | Television film | ||
Dr. Emil Skoda | Episode: "Crazy" | ||||
2003 | John Doe | Lucas Doya | Episode: "The Rising" | ||
Everwood | Phil Drebbles | Episode: "Burden of Truth" | |||
2004 | Ralph Earnhardt | Television film | |||
ER | Gus Loomer | Episode: "Impulse Control" | |||
The D.A. | Deputy District Attorney Joe Carter | 2 episodes | |||
Without a Trace | Mark Wilson | Episode: "Two Families" | |||
The Jury | Ron Stalsukilis | Episode: "Last Rites" | |||
Nip/Tuck | Ike Connors | Episode: "Kimber Henry" | |||
2004–2006 | Justice League Unlimited | General Wade Eiling | Voice, 5 episodes | ||
2005 | Arrested Development | General Anderson | Episode: "Switch Hitter" | ||
Jack & Bobby | Cyrus Miller | Episode: "Running Scared" | |||
Numb3rs | Dr. Clarence Weaver | Episode: "Vector" | |||
2005–2012 | The Closer | Will Pope | 109 episodes | ||
2006 | The West Wing | Harry Ravitch | Episode: "Duck and Cover" | ||
2006–2019 | The Simpsons | Additional Voices | 5 episodes | ||
2007 | Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee | James McLaughlin | Television film | ||
Queens Supreme | Ernest Fingerman | Episode: "Let's Make a Deal" | |||
Kim Possible | Martin Smarty | Voice, 3 episodes | |||
2007–2019 | American Dad! | Additional voices | 5 episodes | ||
2008–2014 | Phineas and Ferb | J.B., Napoleon | Voice, 3 episodes | ||
2008 | Magister Prior Ghilhil | Voice, episode: "Darkstar Rising" | |||
2009–2010 | The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack | Poseidon, additional voices | Voice, 4 episodes | ||
Party Down | Leonard Stiltskin | 2 episodes | |||
2010 | The Life & Times of Tim | O'Flaherty Sr. | Voice, episode: "Stu is Good at Something" | ||
Guardian #1 | Voice, episode: "Revenge of the Reach!" | ||||
Magister Prior Ghilhil | Voice, episode: "Escape From Aggregor" | ||||
2010–2013 | Generator Rex | White Knight, additional voices | Voice, 34 episodes | ||
2011 | Frank Forrest | Episode: "One Cabeza, Two Cabeza, Three Cabeza... Dead!" | |||
Raising Hope | Bruce Chance | Episode: "The Cultish Personality" | |||
Desert Car Kings | The Narrator | 10 episodes | |||
Pound Puppies | Lieutenant Rock | Voice, episode: "The K9 Kid" | |||
2011–2018 | Robot Chicken | Various characters | Voice, 3 episodes | ||
2012–2014 | Men at Work | P.J. Jordan | 5 episodes | [92] | |
2012 | J. Jonah Jameson | Voice, episode: "Along Came a Spider" | |||
The Venture Bros. | Ben (Old Man Potter) | Voice, episode: "A Very Venture Halloween" | |||
Best Friends Forever | Don | Episode: "Put a Pin It" | |||
2012–2014 | Tenzin | Voice, 42 episodes | |||
2012–2015 | Ultimate Spider-Man | J. Jonah Jameson, additional voices | Voice, 39 episodes | ||
2013 | J. Jonah Jameson | Voice, television special | |||
Parks and Recreation | Mayor Stice | Episode: "Partridge" | |||
Family Tools | Tony Shea | 10 episodes | |||
2013–2015 | Avengers Assemble | J. Jonah Jameson | Voice, 4 episodes | ||
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. | J. Jonah Jameson | Voice, 10 episodes | |||
2014 | Growing Up Fisher | Mel Fisher | 13 episodes | ||
Chozen | Gary Cullens | Voice, episode: "Family Weekend (or How Gary Got His Groove Back)" | |||
2014–2020 | BoJack Horseman | Lenny Turtletaub | Voice, 13 episodes | ||
2015 | Farmers Insurance: Monster Foot | Professor Burke | Television film | ||
What Lives Inside | Benjamin "Pops" Delaney | 2 episodes | |||
Major Lazer | President Whitewall | Voice, 6 episodes | |||
Saturday Night Live: Cut for Time | Grandpa | Episode: "Grandpa" | |||
2015–2016 | Gravity Falls | Stanford "Ford" Pines | Voice, 7 episodes | ||
2016 | Archer | Detective Bob Harris | Voice, 4 episodes | ||
2017 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Conductor Maestro Mackerel | Voice, episode: "Snooze You Lose" | ||
SuperMansion | Himself | Voice, episode: "I Don't Even Have to Use My J.K." | |||
2017–2019 | No Activity | Leo | 4 episodes | ||
Counterpart | Howard Silk, Howard Silk Prime (dual role) | 20 episodes | |||
2018 | Farmers Insurance: Vengeful Vermin | Professor Burke | Television film | ||
2019 | Brockmire | Matt "The Bat" Hardesty | 4 episodes | [93] | |
Veronica Mars | Clyde Pickett | 7 episodes | |||
2019–2022 | The Daily Bugle | J. Jonah Jameson | Presenter; 12 episodes; web series | ||
2020 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Frank Dillman | Episode: "Dillman" | ||
Defending Jacob | Billy Barber | 5 episodes | |||
Coronavirus, Explained | The Narrator | Voice, episode: "This Pandemic" | |||
Grandfather | Episode: "Chapter Two: The Shrieking Eels" | [94] | |||
The Stand | General William Starkey | Episode: "The End" | |||
2021–present | Invincible | Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man | Voice, 12 episodes | ||
2021 | The Great North | Tusk Johnson | Voice, 2 episodes | ||
Infinity Train | Pig Baby | Voice, 3 episodes | |||
Goliath | George Zax | 8 episodes | |||
2022 | Night Sky | Franklin York | |||
Late Night Discovery | Television film |
Year | Title | Voice role | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | M&M's The Lost Formulas | Yellow | [95] | |
2005 | Spider-Man 2 | J. Jonah Jameson | PSP version only | |
2007 | Spider-Man 3 | [96] | ||
2008 | President Howard T. Ackerman | [97] | ||
2011 | Portal 2 | Cave Johnson | [98] | |
White Knight | ||||
2014 | The Legend of Korra | Tenzin | [99] | |
2015 | Lego Dimensions | Cave Johnson | ||
2022 | Aperture Desk Job | |||
Dota 2 | Announcer Pack | [100] [101] | ||
2023 | Baldur's Gate 3 | General Ketheric Thorm | ||
Mortal Kombat 1 | Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man | As part of "Kombat Pack" DLC |
Year | Title | Role | Venue | scope=col | Category | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1985 | Guys and Dolls | Lieutenant Brannigan | Seattle Repertory Theatre | Regional | [102] | |
1986 | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum | Miles Gloriosus | Alliance Theatre | |||
A Little Night Music | Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm | Studio Arena Theatre | ||||
Peter Pan | Starkey | Pennsylvania Center Stage | ||||
1987 | Birds of Paradise | Andy | Promenade Theatre | Off-Broadway | [103] | |
1988 | Dandy Dick | Noah Topping | Union Square Theatre | [104] | ||
Oklahoma! | Jud Fry | Minnesota Opera | Regional | |||
1989-1990 | Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge | Deutch / Sgt. Clancy / Beautician / H. V. Kaltenborn / Albert Einstein | Kennedy Center | |||
1990 | A Change in the Heir | Edwin | Edison Theatre | Broadway | ||
1991–1992 | Peter Pan | Captain Hook / Mr. Darling | Minskoff Theatre & US tour | |||
1992 | Guys and Dolls | Benny Southstreet | Martin Beck Theatre | |||
1993–1994 | Laughter on the 23rd Floor | Brian | Richard Rodgers Theatre | |||
1994 | Das Barbecü | Various | Minetta Lane Theatre | Off-Broadway |