Summary
Amazon Prime Video’s very ownInvinciblehas continued its ascension to becomingone of the most popular showsaround, precisely with Mark’s fight with the Viltrumites heating up. So far in season 3, Mark Grayson has had his fair share of traumatic events that have left the superhero reeling, with the pressures of his family issues, newfound relationship, and work struggles to catch up to the appealing protagonist.
WhileInvincibleis often headlined by Mark, his father, Omni-Man, has become a significant part of the show, much owing to the compelling portrayal by J.K. Simmons. The acclaimed actor’s work goes further than his renowned voice-acting performance, as Simmons has had an illustrious career that has seen him have many memorable roles, whether in quintessential movies or television.
Dabbling in the crime genre brought Simmons a challenging and high-profile role oppositea big name like Ben AffleckinThe Accountant, with Simmons riding the wave of hisWhiplashsuccess.The Accountantfollows Affleck’s Christian Wolff, a neurodivergent accountant who balances the books for some of the world’s most powerful criminal organizations.
While Wolff takes more risks, Simmons' Ray King, a director of FinCEN, intends to track down Wolff to keep the protagonist on a leash in order to expose criminal groups that Wolff becomes engaged with. Simmons' senior and authoritarian role leads to a cunning and wise performance that perfectly encapsulates the role of Ray and his complex relationship with Wolff as they delve into the world of money laundering and other illegal activities.
Palm Springsoffered Simmons plenty of freedom for creativity and fun as his character, Roy Schlieffen, indulges in a world of frolicking and chaos as Simmons' character endures being stuck in a time loop at a wedding. The time loop comedy sees two strangers slowly develop a romantic relationship as they find themselves stuck in a time loop on the day of a wedding they both attend as guests.
Surrounded by a comedic cast, Simmons' Roy goes from a drugged-up party fiend to a trapped and isolated man stuck in time, with the character even hunting the protagonist, Nyles, with a bow and arrow to get revenge for his unfortunate predicament. In the versatile role, Simmons conjures up a variety of emotions, leading to one of the actor’s most underappreciated roles to date.
Although short-lived, the spy showcaseCounterpartafforded Simmons the complicated challenge of playing a dual role as protagonist, portraying identical-looking characters from alternate dimensions. The uncommon premise sees Howard Silk discover his agency’s secret portal to a foreign world lacking technological infrastructure, where hisalternative self is a master at espionage.
Amidst the cold war between the two differing worlds, the two versions of Silk are vastly different, with his original self coming across as calm and stable, while his counterpart is highly skilled and determined in his approach. Much of the praise and success ofCounterpartcomes down to Simmons' tremendous hybrid role, with his ability to perfectly distinguish between the two through impeccable body language, tone, and speech, which is a testament to the actor’s abilities.
One of thecult comedies of the 00s,Juno, brought Simmons a compelling role as a caring father, pushing the actor to further stardom and notoriety.Junofocuses on a quirky teenage girl who becomes pregnant, with Juno goes through a life-changing process, which includes giving up her unborn child for adoption to a seemingly sweet couple.
In his supporting role, Simmons' Mac MacGuff wholly supports his daughter’s decision, offering comfort and fatherly love that shows another side to Simmons, with the actor having many scene-stealing moments, a testament to Simmons' approach and talent.
In Simmons' career, the actor has not shied away from voice-acting roles, with his decision eventually leading him to portray Omni-Man fromInvincible, a role which has amassed much acclaim. The popular animated showfollows an adolescent, Mark, wholearns to become a superhero in the midst of his superhero father’s U-turn on Earth and his own family, leading to intense battles and emotional beats that have madeInvinciblean Amazon Prime Video staple.
Initially starting as a dependable superhero on Earth, Nolan Grayson’s despicable Viltrumite persona bubbles to the surface, enabling Simmons to deliver a riveting and compelling voice-acting performance fueled by rage, fury, and confusion.
Known for playing bad guys, Simmons' detestable and vile portrayal of Vernon Schillingerin the HBO classicOzput the actor on the map, withOzpropelling Simmons into the spotlight. A show that bridged the gap between the 20th and 21st centuries,Ozwas a prison drama that followed the daily lives of dangerous individuals inhabiting Oswald State Penitentiary and the criminal affairs they get up to.
In potentially Simmons' scariest role, his character Vernon acts as a major antagonist, portraying an incarcerated head honcho who rules by fear and intimidation. Among Vernon’s disgusting beliefs and attitudes, Simmons brings a level of ferocity and narcissism the character requires, as the actor excelled in the now legendary drama.
What started as a small role in the first-ever live-actionSpider-Manmovie has spawned into a worldwide known character who has appeared in severalSpider-Manmovies throughout different iterations, including the MCU, with J. Jonah Jameson being a career highlight for Simmons. Often known for being Spider-Man’s greatest hater, The Daily Bugle editor becomes a constant thorn for Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker, constantly raving and ranting about his exploits in New York.
Simmons' bombastic and loudmouth portrayal has led to the character becoming a pop culture icon, with his comedic and over-the-top personality becomingsynonymous with theSpider-Manfranchise, so much so that Simmons has featured as J. Jonah Jameson across various Spider-Man cartoons and even returns as the character in the MCU.
One of the great performances of the 2010s belongs to Simmons for his truly transcendent portrayal of Terence Fletcher inWhiplash, the jazz drumming moviethat afforded Simmons an all-time role. While not the protagonist, Simmons plays an intense jazz instructor who acts hard on the school’s new drummer, Andrew Neiman, a diamond in the rough. Throughout Nieman’s development, Simmons' character puts the protagonist through hell, pushing him to the limit in order to help Nieman reach the pinnacle of his art form.
As Fletcher, Simmons' command of every scene is frightening as he torments his students in search of perfection. The brutal and vicious nature Simmons enacts makes his character a haunting tyrant, riveting audiences in the process, with the actor’s lauded portrayal even gaining Simmons an Oscar, cementing his character in the annex of cinematic history.
