Jonathan Kimble “J. K.” Simmons (born January 9, 1955) is an actor. He attended Thomas Worthington High School, in Worthington, OH, where he participated in drama, football, and choir. Simmons started acting after college, first on the stage and then on Broadway, where he made use of his singing skills. He progressed to small roles in television and film before being cast as Vernon Schillinger in the series Oz in 1997. He was also cast as Dr. Emil Skoda in Law & Order that same year – and eventually reprised that role in two other series in the Law & Order franchise as well as in New York Undercover. Simmons has been accumulating a long list of credits since then. Films include 2002’s Spider-Man (and its two sequels) and Whiplash (for which he has won many awards), and series include The Closer and The West Wing. He has also done extensive voiceover work.
Awards (partial list):
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash. 2014
- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for Whiplash. 2014
- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Whiplash. 2014
Source: Wikipedia