The best J.K. Simmons movies and TV shows reveal just how versatile and committed he is as a performer, making it easy to see why he’s regarded as one of the best character actors currently working. Born in Michigan in 1955, J.K. Simmons spent many decades working on the stage as a theater actor before transitioning to screens. An active performer since 1976, Simmons’ first TV role didn’t come until a decade later when he played a patrolman in the TV movie Popeye Doyle.
However, he’d soon gain recognition thanks to movies like 1994’s The Ref, and by the end of the decade was becoming a known name due to his parts in the likes of Law & Order and Oz. However, his big break arguably came in 2002’s Spider-Man, which saw Sam Raimi cast him in the career-defining role of J. Jonah Jameson. The best J.K. Simmons movies and TV shows reveal he’s capable of much more than demanding pictures of Spider-Man, however, and each showcases a different side of the actor’s incredibly wide range.
10 Law & Order (1997-2010)
J.K. Simmons Plays Dr. Emil Skoda
Law & Order
Release Date September 13, 1990
Showrunner Walon Green, Michael S. Chernuchin, René Balcer, William M. Finkelstein, Artuhr Penn, Barry Schindel, Nicholas Wootton, Rick Eid
Writers Dick Wolf
There have been many now-famous Hollywood actors who got their start on Dick Wolf’s hit crime procedural Law & Order, and J.K. Simmons is no exception. However, he didn’t just portray a one-off character, but was a recurring presence on the show between 1997 and 2010, playing the part of psychiatrist Emil Skoda.
It was through Dr. Emil Skoda that some of the most interesting and analytical scenes in Law & Order took place. It was Skoda’s job to figure out if criminals were legally sane and could be tried. This meant J.K. Simmons delivered some of the show’s most gripping moments of exposition and psychoanalysis of its many antagonists, and all were made much more memorable thanks to the dark and wry sense of humor Simmons brought to the character.
9 Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
J.K. Simmons Plays Kai
Kung Fu Panda 3
5/10
Release Date January 29, 2016
Runtime 95 Minutes
Director Jennifer Yuh, Alessandro Carloni
Writers Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Among the many J.K. Simmons voice acting roles in his best movies and TV shows, 2016’s Kung Fu Panda 3 stands out as one of the strongest. The third film in Dreamwork’s Kung Fu Panda franchise sees Jack Black’s titular Panda, Po, facing off against one of his strongest adversaries yet - a mighty warrior from the past who has escaped the spirit realm alongside an army of the greatest Kung Fu legends from the franchise’s universe.
This villain, Kai, is voice by J.K. Simmons, who captures the spirit of the character perfectly. He brings a subtle mix of arrogance and bitterness that makes Kai truly memorable, even when compared to other franchise villains like Ian McShane’s Tai Lung from the 2008 original. It’s an especially noteworthy performance since, at the time, Kung Fu Panda 3 was intended to be the last installment, and Simmons’ Kai ensured there was a more than worthy villain for Po’s then-final adventure.
8 Oz (1997-2003)
J.K. Simmons Plays Vernon Schillinger
Oz
Release Date 1997 - 2002
Network HBO Max
Showrunner Tom Fontana
Writers Tom Fontana, Bradford Winters, Sunil Nayar, Sean Jablonski, Sean Whitesell
When it comes to small-screen roles from his earlier career, perhaps none stand out in J.K. Simmons’ filmography quite like Oz, the hit HBO series that ran from 1997 to 2003. It was through Oz that Simmons’ displayed his aptitude for playing morally complex antagonists, and that he wasn’t an actor who would shy away from difficult roles.
J.K. Simmons’ Oz character, Vernon Schillinger, was one of the most dangerous inmates at the show’s Oswald Maximum Security Prison. Schillinger was the leader of the facility’s Aryan Brotherhood, and was known both for his capacity for violence and willingness to commit sexual assault as a form of punishment. There were no scenes in which Schillinger wasn’t utterly chilling to behold, and Oz stands as one of the best J.K. Simmons TV shows or movies because of this.
7 Burn After Reading (2008)
J.K. Simmons Plays CIA Superior
Burn After Reading
Release Date September 5, 2008
Runtime 96 minutes
Director Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Writers Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Burn After Reading is the dark spy comedy from the Coen Brothers and bears all the hallmarks of everything that makes the directors so celebrated and beloved by their fans. The all-star ensemble cast includes the likes of John Malkovich, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton, and Frances McDormand, but for many it’s J.K. Simmons who steals the show (despite his role being relatively minor).
When it comes to J.K. Simmons comic abilities, few roles display just how funny he can be quite like that of the CIA Superior in Burn After Reading. Forever perplexed by the activities of the other characters (none of whom are aware they're being spied on), Simmons’ delivery is laugh-out-loud hilarious - especially at the climax when he asks a subordinate what the agency had learned, only to find out it was very little, and resigns himself to declare “I guess we learned not to do it again,” quickly followed by “I'm f****d if I know what we did.”
6 Juno (2007)
J.K. Simmons Plays Mac MacGuff
Juno
Release Date December 25, 2007
Runtime 96 minutes
Director Jason Reitman
Writers Diablo Cody
The 2007 coming-of-age comedy-drama Juno defied all expectations when it was released in 2007. It proved to be a career-defining movie for Elliot Page, Michael Cera, and Jaon Bateman for starters, and brought no shortage of acclaim both to director Jason Reitman and screenwriter Diablo Cody. It also still stands as one of the best J.K. Simmons movies thanks to his portrayal of Mac MacGuff, the father of Elliot Page’s soon-to-be teen mom Juno.
Juno marks one of several films and TV shows that reveal J.K. Simmons is just as good at playing grounded, down-to-earth characters as he is loud, angry hot-heads like J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man. Of particular note in Juno is his chemistry with Allison Janney’s Bren MacGuff, Juno’s step-mom. Simmons’ delivery of lines like “I’m not ready to be a pop-pop” (meaning grandfather) are brimming with heartfelt authenticity, and it’s one of his strongest performances to date.
5 The Accountant (2016)
J.K. Simmons Plays Ray King
The Accountant
6/10
Release Date October 14, 2016
Runtime 128 Minutes
Director Gavin O'Connor
Writers Bill Dubuque
The Accountant comes from director Gavin O’Connor and was an instant hit both at the box office and among critics when it arrived in 2016. Starring J.K. Simmons as part of an ensemble cast that also includes Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick, The Accountant is a slick and stylish action thriller that uses every actor incredibly well. This includes J.K. Simmons in the role of Ray King, the Treasury Department director who uses Affleck’s Christian Wolff to track down criminal leads.
Simmons’ performance as Ray King in The Accountant shared similarities with his portrayal of Commissioner Gordon in the DCEU (specifically in 2015’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice). King, like Gordon, is a jaded civil servant who understands the law sometimes isn’t enough for those who want to see justice served. However, Ray King takes things one step further and becomes a vigilante instead of simply relying on one, making him one of the most intriguing and watchable characters J.K. Simmons has portrayed so far.
4 Night Sky (2022)
J.K. Simmons Plays Frank York
Night Sky
Release Date 2022 - 2021
Network Amazon Prime Video
Showrunner Juan Jose Campanella
Directors Juan Jose Campanella
Writers Juan Jose Campanella
2022’s Night Sky, the sci-fi drama series created by Holden Miller, stands out among the best J.K. Simmons movies and TV shows as it features him in a slightly more grounded role than some of his other more volatile characters like Spider-Man’s J. Jonah Jameson or Terence Fletcher in Whiplash. However, this only further cements it as one of his strongest performances, as it demonstrates the full range of his abilities clearly.
In Night Sky, J.K. Simmons plays Franklin York. A retired woodworker, Franklin discovers with his wife Irene (Sissy Spacek) that their land in the Midwest also serves as a gateway that allows them to travel to another world on the other side of the galaxy. It’s an incredibly intriguing premise, and as the mystery unfolds its Simmons who carries the story both with his own incredible performance and his chemistry with co-star Sissy Spacek.
3 Invincible (2021-Present)
J.K. Simmons Plays Omni-Man/Nolan Grayson
Invincible
8/10
Release Date March 26, 2021
Network Amazon Prime Video
Showrunner Simon Racioppa
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Mark Grayson / Invincible (voice)
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The Amazon Prime original superhero show Invincible is one of several examples of solid voice-acting in J.K. Simmons’ career, and the actor has more than proved he’s just as captivating even when he only has his vocal talents to rely on. However, what sets Invincible apart and secures it as one of the very best J.K. Simmons TV shows or movies is just how iconic he manages to make the character of Omni-Man.
Appearing in 12 episodes of Invincible, it was arguably J.K. Simmons' performance as Omni-Man that ensured the show would be instantly thrust into the mainstream. Lines like “look what they need to mimic a fraction of our power” and “think, Mark, think!” have become iconic and heavily memed, all thanks to Simmons’ delivery. Simmons truly makes the global protector-turned-villain an unforgettable character, and none of his many voice-acting appearances are anywhere near as memorable.
2 Whiplash (2014)
J.K. Simmons Plays Terence Fletcher
Whiplash
7/10
Release Date October 10, 2014
Runtime 107 Minutes
Director Damien Chazelle
Writers Damien Chazelle
J.K. Simmons has received surprisingly little awards recognition across his career, though there’s one movie that bucked this trend - 2014’s Whiplash, directed by Damien Chazelle. His performance as the abusive music instructor Terence Fletcher brought Simmons a multitude of accolades, including an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Oustanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role.
His performance as the fiery and utterly toxic Terence Fletcher in Whiplash is J.K. Simmons at his absolute best when it comes to his dramatic abilities. What’s more, he has an incredible amount of on-screen chemistry with co-star Miles Teller as Jazz drummer Andrew Neiman (the young musician who finally stands up to Fletcher). A truly phenomenal and gripping film in its own right, Whiplash should be considered essential viewing for any J.K. Simmons’ fan.
1 Spider-Man (2002)
J.K. Simmons Plays J. Jonah Jameson
When it comes to the best J.K. Simmons movies and TV shows, there’s one role that’s become synonymous with the actor - J. Jonah Jameson, the head of the fictional NYC newspaper the Daily Bugle in Marvel’s Spider-Man. First appearing as J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s 2002 movie Spider-Man, Simmons went on to reprise the role not only in the Raimi trilogy but also the MCU, shows like 2012’s The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and 2012’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
It’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else demanding “get me pictures of Spider-Man!” or declaring that the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler is a “menace”.
It’s a testament to J.K. Simmons’ embodiment of the character that he remains the go-to voice and/or screen presence for J. Jonah Jameson in more-or-less every piece of Spider-Man media released since 2002. It’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else demanding “get me pictures of Spider-Man!” or declaring that the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler is a “menace”. Since 2002’s Spider-Man was his debut as the character, it stands as the best J.K. Simmons movie or TV show, but it’s the character more than anything else that has come to define his career.
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