JK Simmons of The Closer and Spiderman Supports Kids with Cancer through Sunshine Kids
I caught JK Simmons of The Closer and Spiderman at the GBK Academy Awards Gifting Suite while he was out supporting the many vendors and non-profits the the event.
JK talked to us about the Sunshine Kids. A charity that puts together all kinds of great trips and adventures for kids suffering with cancer.
JK Simmons may be one of the most versatile actors in the industry today as he has played so many diverse roles. It is always nice to interview someone with initials for a first name. Thanks JK. – JW
JK Simmons
Simmons was a Broadway actor and singer. He was in the revival of Guys and Dolls as Benny Southstreet. In 1994 he sang multiple roles in the Wagner opera satire, DAS BARBECU.[3]
He also played the role of Jigger in a revival of Carousel with the Houston Grand Opera. He also starred in the 1987 Off-Broadway musical Birds of Paradise.
Simmons is known for his TV roles as Dr. Emil Skoda, a police psychiatrist, who has appeared on three of the four incarnations of Law & Order and New York Undercover, and as the sadistic inmate Vernon Schillinger on the prison drama Oz. He also stars as Ralph Earnhardt, the father of race-car driver Dale Earnhardt, in 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story. He played B.R. in the film Thank You For Smoking and has been praised for his performance in Juno as “Mac” McGuff, the title character’s father. Currently, he plays Will Pope, Assistant Chief of the LAPD, in The Closer.
He also played J. Jonah Jameson in all three Spider-Man films and the expanded video game adaption of Spider-Man 3. Simmons provided his voice for two newspaper editors in two episodes of the eighteenth season of The Simpsons. The characters are never named, but are obviously meant to emulate the character of Jameson (one, bearing Jameson’s appearance, even demands “pictures of Spider-Man”, then on being reminded he works at a poetry journal, demands “poems about Spider-Man”).
Simmons also provides the voice of the yellow M&M in the product’s commercials, as well as the 3-D film “I Lost My M in Vegas” playing at M&M’s World in Las Vegas, NV. He has also done voiceover work for Norelco razors. He also provided the voice of General Wade Eiling in Justice League Unlimited. He recorded an audio book for Tom Clancy’s Net Force Point of Impact. Like many of his Law & Order co-stars, he also appeared in an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street, portraying a criminal in an episode that crossed over with Law & Order before Simmons joined the cast as Skoda. He also played a small role as an army general in the television sitcom Arrested Development, alongside his Juno co-stars, Michael Cera and Jason Bateman. As well, he played Dan the Barber in the surreal Nickelodeon kid’s show The Adventures of Pete & Pete in 1995. In 2008 he had a small part as the “CIA Superior” in Burn After Reading. Simmons appears also in Postal as Candidate Wells. He has also been featured as Professor Nathaniel Burke of the University of Farmers in television commercials for Farmers Insurance Group beginning in 2010.[4] He also played Paul Rudd‘s father in I Love You, Man
Simmons is quickly becoming known for starring in films that are produced or directed by his friend Jason Reitman, including Thank You for Smoking, Juno, Up in the Air and Jennifer’s Body, written by Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody.
Recently it was confirmed that Simmons will voice the character of Tenzin, an Airbending Master and the son of Aang and Katara, in the 2012 Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Legend of Korra. Also, he will reprise the role as the voice of J. Jonah Jameson in the animated series Ultimate Spider-Man and in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Sunshine Kids
The Sunshine Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to children with cancer. Established in 1982, we are committed to providing positive group activities and emotional support for young cancer patients. The Sunshine Kids provides a variety of programs and events, free of charge, for kids who are receiving cancer treatments in hospitals across North America.
The Sunshine Kids Foundation adds quality of life to children with cancer by providing them with exciting, positive group activities, so they may once again do what kids are supposed to do . . . have fun and celebrate life!
We look forward to the day when The Sunshine Kids Foundation will no longer need to exist. Until that time, the entire Sunshine Kids family is dedicated to providing the most exciting activities, trips and events for as many young cancer patients as possible.
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