J.K. Simmons

Biography

Jonathan Kimble Simmons (born January 9, 1955) is an American actor. He has been cited as one of the greatest contemporary character actors, and has appeared in over 200 film and television roles since his debut in 1986. He is an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Critics Choice Award winner, among other accolades. His film roles include J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), tobacco industry executive B.R. in Thank You for Smoking (2005), Mac MacGuff in Juno (2007), music instructor Terence Fletcher in Whiplash (2014), Bill in La La Land (2016), William Frawley in Being the Ricardos (2021), and Commissioner James Gordon in the DC Extended Universe films Justice League (2017), Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021), and Batgirl (2022). He reprised his role as Jameson in various Marvel media unrelated to the Sam Raimi trilogy, including multiple animated series and the Marvel Cinematic Universe/Sony's Spider-Man Universe films Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Spider-Man: No Way Home (both 2021), and the web series TheDailyBugle.net (2019; 2021). On television, he is known for playing Dr. Emil Skoda on the NBC series Law & Order, white supremacist prisoner Vernon Schillinger on the HBO series Oz, and Assistant Police Chief Will Pope on TNT's The Closer. From 2017 to 2019, he starred as Howard Silk in the Starz series Counterpart. He has also appeared in a series of commercials for Farmers Insurance and starred in the third season of the IFC comedy series Brockmire. In 2020, he had recurring roles on the miniseries Defending Jacob and The Stand. As a voice artist, he is known for voicing Cave Johnson in the video game Portal 2 (2011), Tenzin in The Legend of Korra (2012–2014), Stanford “Ford” Pines in Gravity Falls (2015–2016), Kai in Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016), Mayor Leodore Lionheart in Zootopia (2016), the titular character in Klaus (2019), Pig Baby in Season 4 of the HBO Max animated series Infinity Train (2021), and Nolan “Omni-Man” Grayson in the Amazon Prime action animated series Invincible (2021). He has been the voice of the Yellow M&M since 1996.

Known For

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Law & Order

Law & Order

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

The Simpsons

All Movies (154)

• Heart of the Beast2026
• The Brink of War2026 · as George Shultz
• Little Brother2025 · as Warren Duffy
• The Accountant²2025 · as Ray King
• The Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery2025 · as Narrator
• Red One2024 · as Nick
• Juror #22024 · as Harold
• Saturday Night2024 · as Milton Berle
• The Union2024 · as Tom Brennan
• You Can't Run Forever2024 · as Wade
• The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart2023 · as Ben (voice)
• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse2023 · as J. Jonah Jameson (voice)
• Rally Road Racers2023 · as Gnash (voice)
• One Day as a Lion2023 · as Walter Boggs
• Rivals: Ohio State vs. Michigan2022 · as Narrator
• Prophets of Change2022 · as Narrator
• Hopper: An American Love Story2022 · as Edward Hopper (voice)
• Glorious2022 · as Ghat (voice)
• Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers2022 · as Captain Putty (voice)
• Marmaduke2022 · as Zeus (voice)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home2021 · as J. Jonah Jameson
• Being the Ricardos2021 · as William Frawley
• National Champions2021 · as Coach James Lazor
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife2021 · as Ivo Shandor
• Seal Team2021 · as Claggart (voice)
• Venom: Let There Be Carnage2021 · as J. Jonah Jameson (uncredited)
• The Tomorrow War2021 · as James Forester
• Ride the Eagle2021 · as Carl
• Rushing or Dragging2021 · as Terrence Fletcher (Archive Audio)
• Zack Snyder's Justice League2021 · as Commissioner Gordon
• Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens2020 · as Orville
• Palm Springs2020 · as Roy
• Klaus2019 · as Klaus (voice)
• The Daily Bugle2019 · as J. Jonah Jameson
• 21 Bridges2019 · as Captain Matt McKenna
• 3 Days with Dad2019 · as Joey
• Spider-Man: Far From Home2019 · as J. Jonah Jameson
• Fanboy2019 · as J.K. / Frank Perry
• Drug$2018 · as Narrator
• The Front Runner2018 · as Bill Dixon
• Detroit: Comeback City2018 · as Himself - Narrator
• A Boy Called Sailboat2018 · as Ernest
• The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island2018 · as Dr. Moore (voice)
• Father Figures2017 · as Ronald Hunt
• I'm Not Here2017 · as Steve
• Justice League2017 · as Commissioner Gordon
• The Bachelors2017 · as Bill Palet
• The Snowman2017 · as Arve Støp
• Renegades2017 · as Levin
• The Black Ghiandola2017 · as Ralph Aceto
• All Nighter2017 · as Mr. Gallo
• Punching Henry2017 · as Jay Warren
• Patriots Day2016 · as Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese
• La La Land2016 · as Bill
• The Accountant2016 · as Ray King
• The Late Bloomer2016 · as James Newmans
• Rock Dog2016 · as Khampa (voice)
• The Meddler2016 · as Randall Zipper
• Zootopia2016 · as Mayor Lionheart (voice)
• Gravity Falls: Between the Pines2016 · as Ford Pines (Voice)
• Kung Fu Panda 32016 · as Kai (voice)
• Worlds Apart2015 · as Sebastian
• O.W.C.A. Files2015 · as Napoleon / Additional Voices (voice)
• Terminator Genisys2015 · as O'Brien
• Gravity Falls - Weirdmageddon2015 · as Grunkle Ford
• Men, Women & Children2014 · as Allison's Dad
• Whiplash2014 · as Fletcher
• Ava & Lala2014 · as General Tiger (voice)
• The Boxcar Children2014 · as Dr. Moore (voice)
• The Rewrite2014 · as Hal Lerner
• Murder of a Cat2014 · as Sheriff Frank Hoyle
• Break Point2014 · as Jack
• Barefoot2014 · as Dr. Bertleman
• Labor Day2013 · as Mr. Jervis
• Jobs2013 · as Arthur Rock
• 3 Geezers!2013 · as J. Kimball
• The Magic Bracelet2013 · as The Shaman
• The Heeler2013 · as Roscoe
• Dark Skies2013 · as Edwin Pollard
• Whiplash2013 · as Fletcher
• The Words2012 · as Mr. Jansen
• Contraband2012 · as Captain Camp
• Ben 10 / Generator Rex: Heroes United2011 · as White Knight (voice)
• Young Adult2011 · as Mavis' Publisher (voice) (uncredited)
• Blackstone2011 · as Detective Burke
• The Good Doctor2011 · as Detective Krauss
• The Music Never Stopped2011 · as Henry Sawyer
• True Grit2010 · as J. Noble Daggett (voice) (uncredited)
• Megamind2010 · as Warden (voice)
• 4192: The Crowning of the Hit King2010 · as Narrator (voice)
• An Invisible Sign2010 · as Mr. Jones
• A Beginner's Guide to Endings2010 · as Uncle Pal
• Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore2010 · as Gruff K-9 (voice)
• Crazy on the Outside2010 · as Ed
• Extract: Mike Judge's Secret Recipe2009 · as Self
• The Vicious Kind2009 · as Donald Sinclaire
• Up in the Air2009 · as Bob
• Jennifer's Body2009 · as Mr. Wroblewski
• Extract2009 · as Brian
• Post Grad2009 · as Roy Davies
• Aliens in the Attic2009 · as Skip (voice)
• The Way of War2009 · as Sergeant Mitchell
• I Love You, Man2009 · as Oswald Klaven
• Red Sands2009 · as Lt. Col. Arson
• New in Town2009 · as Stu Kopenhafer
• Burn After Reading2008 · as CIA Superior
• Walt Whitman2008 · as Narrator (voice)
• Juno2007 · as Mac MacGuff
• Postal2007 · as Candidate Welles
• Rendition2007 · as Lee Mayer
• Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee2007 · as James McLaughlin
• Spider-Man 32007 · as J. Jonah Jameson
• The Astronaut Farmer2007 · as Jacobson
• First Snow2006 · as Vacaro
• Harsh Times2005 · as Agent Richards
• Thank You for Smoking2005 · as BR
• 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story2004 · as Ralph Earnhardt
• Spider-Man 2: Making the Amazing2004 · as Self
• Broadway's Lost Treasures II2004 · as Benny Southstreet (segment "Guys & Dolls")
• Spider-Man 22004 · as J. Jonah Jameson
• The Ladykillers2004 · as Garth Pancake
• Hidalgo2004 · as Buffalo Bill Cody
• Path to War2003 · as CIA Briefer
• Off the Map2003 · as George
• Disposal2003 · as Older Hunter
• Spider-Man2002 · as J. Jonah Jameson
• The Mexican2001 · as Ted Slocum
• Starwater2001
• The Gift2000 · as Sheriff Pearl Johnson
• Autumn in New York2000 · as Dr. Tom Grandy
• The Cider House Rules1999 · as Ray Kendall
• I Lost My M in Vegas1999 · as Yellow (voice)
• For Love of the Game1999 · as Frank Perry
• Hit and Runway1999 · as Ray Tilman
• Crossing Fields1998 · as Guy
• Above Freezing1998 · as Hoyd
• Celebrity1998 · as Souvenir Hawker
• Anastasia1997 · as Ensemble and Character Vocals (voice)
• Face Down1997 · as Herb Aames
• The Jackal1997 · as FBI Agent T. I. Witherspoon
• Love Walked In1997 · as Mr. Shulman
• Extreme Measures1996 · as Dr. Mingus
• The First Wives Club1996 · as Federal Marshall
• The Scout1994 · as Assistant Coach
• The Ref1994 · as Siskel
• Guys and Dolls: Off the Record1992 · as Himself / Benny Southstreet
• Popeye Doyle1986 · as Patrolman in Park
• Monkey Quest— · as (voice)
• The Prince—
• Spaceman—
• 109 Billion Followers— · as Reaper
• Behind the Zirkonians— · as Skip (voice)
• Purgatory— · as Father Malone
• The Thing That Hurts—

All TV Shows (99)

• The Westies2026 · as Eamon Sweeney
• Ren & Stimpy2024 · as Lint (voice)
• Night Sky2022 · as Franklin York
• INVINCIBLE2021 · as Nolan Grayson / Omni-Man (voice)
• The Great North2021 · as Tusk Johnson (voice)
• The Stand2020 · as General Starkey
• Die Hart2020 · as Jackson Pepper
• Home Movie: The Princess Bride2020 · as The Grandfather
• Coronavirus, Explained2020 · as Self - Narrator
• Defending Jacob2020 · as Billy Barber
• The Kelly Clarkson Show2019 · as Self
• Explained2018 · as Narrator (voice)
• Counterpart2017 · as Howard Silk
• Robert Kirkman's Secret History of Comics2017 · as Self
• No Activity2017 · as Leo
• Brockmire2017 · as Matt "The Bat" Hardesty
• Goliath2016 · as George Zax
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest
• Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter2015 · as Self
• Major Lazer2015 · as President Whitewall (voice)
• What Lives Inside2015 · as Benjamin 'Pops' Delaney
• Variety Studio: Actors on Actors2014 · as Self
• BoJack Horseman2014 · as Lenny Turtletaub (voice)
• Wild Hawaii2014 · as Narrator (voice)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver2014 · as (voice)
• Late Night with Seth Meyers2014 · as Self - Guest
• Growing Up Fisher2014 · as Mel Fisher
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon2014 · as Self - Guest
• LEGO MARVEL Super Heroes: Maximum Overload2013 · as J. Jonah Jameson (voice)
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine2013 · as Frank Dillman
• Family Tools2013 · as Tony Shea
• Gravity Falls2012 · as Stanford Pines (voice)
• Men at Work2012 · as P.J. Jordan
• The Legend of Korra2012 · as Tenzin (voice)
• The Legend of Korra2012 · as Mushi (voice)
• Best Friends Forever2012 · as Don
• Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man2012 · as J. Jonah Jameson (voice)
• NTSF:SD:SUV::2011 · as Frank Forrest
• Desert Car Kings2011 · as Himself - Narrator
• The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes2010 · as J. Jonah Jameson (voice)
• The Talk2010 · as Self - Guest
• Pound Puppies2010 · as Lt. Rock (voice)
• Pound Puppies2010 · as Mr. Withers (voice)
• Raising Hope2010 · as Bruce Chance
• Ben 10: Ultimate Alien2010 · as Magister Gilhil / Plumber (voice)
• Archer2009 · as Detective (voice)
• Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen2009 · as Self - Guest
• Parks and Recreation2009 · as Mayor Stice
• Party Down2009 · as Leonard Stiltskin
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold2008 · as Guardian (voice)
• Ben 10: Alien Force2008 · as Magister Gilhil (voice)
• Phineas and Ferb2007 · as Napoleon (voice)
• Phineas and Ferb2007 · as J.B. (voice)
• The Closer2005 · as Will Pope
• American Dad!2005 · as Judge (voice)
• American Dad!2005 · as Gene (voice)
• American Dad!2005 · as Dean of CIA Academy (voice)
• American Dad!2005 · as Jed Farnsworth (voice)
• Numb3rs2005 · as Dr. Clarence Weaver
• Veronica Mars2004 · as Clyde Pickett
• Jack & Bobby2004
• Justice League Unlimited2004 · as Eiling (voice)
• Justice League Unlimited2004 · as General Eiling (voice)
• The Jury2004
• The D.A.2004 · as Dep. Dist. Atty. Joe Carter
• Arrested Development2003 · as General Anderson
• Nip/Tuck2003 · as Ike Connors
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self - Guest
• Jimmy Kimmel Live!2003 · as Self
• Without a Trace2002 · as Mark Wilson
• John Doe2002 · as Lucas Doya
• Everwood2002 · as Phil Drebbles
• Kim Possible2002 · as Martin Smarty (voice)
• Law & Order: Criminal Intent2001 · as Emil Skoda
• Third Watch1999 · as Frank Hagedorn
• The West Wing1999 · as Harry Ravitch
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit1999 · as Dr. Emil Skoda
• Oz1997 · as Vernon Schillinger
• Spin City1996 · as Kevin
• The Daily Show1996 · as Self - Guest
• Swift Justice1996 · as Mel Turman
• Remember WENN1996 · as 'Captain Amazon'
• New York News1995
• ER1994 · as Gus Loomer
• New York Undercover1994
• The Adventures of Pete & Pete1993
• Homicide: Life on the Street1993 · as Alexander Rausch
• Law & Order1990 · as Emil Skoda
• Law & Order1990 · as Jerry Luppin
• The Simpsons1989 · as Victor Kleskow (voice)
• The Simpsons1989 · as Tabloid Editor (voice)
• The Simpsons1989 · as J. Jonah Jameson (voice)
• The Simpsons1989 · as JJ Gruff (voice)
• The Simpsons1989 · as Dr. Jessup (voice)
• American Masters1986 · as Edward Hopper
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Host
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Vern Schillinger (uncredited)
• The Oscars1953 · as Self
• Embassy— · as Ambassador Elliot Ashford