JK Simmons and the "sweet fruit" Oscar at the age of 60

The actor born in 1955, known for his role as a newspaper owner in the “Spider-Man” series, won his first golden statuette for his role as a harsh teacher in the independent film “Whiplash”.

Before the 87th Academy Awards, “Best Supporting Actor” was considered the most predictable category. It wasn’t because Edward Norton, Robert Duvall, Mark Ruffalo or Ethan Hawke didn’t perform well, it was simply because the remaining nominees had given even better performances.

The role of orchestra conductor Terence Fletcher brought JK Simmons more than 30 major and minor acting awards. After being honored at the SAG, Critic's Choice, BAFTA and Golden Globe awards, the Oscar statuette was awarded to this veteran actor as a matter of course.

Veteran actor JK Simmons.

Famous with TV series

Although he is 60 years old this year, for many movie fans, JK Simmons was still a name that left little impression until Whiplash. The reason is probably because the American actor, whose full name is Jonathan Kimble Simmons, mainly appeared in television films. He was originally an actor and singer on Broadway in the early 1990s, before gradually becoming remembered for his roles on television. The most prominent of the small screen characters that Simmons has played is probably the aggressive prisoner Vernon in the classic prison series Oz. In addition, Simmons has participated in famous series such as Law & Order or New York Undercover.

Possessing a resonant and strong voice, Simmons is also often invited to voice over video games or commercials. He has lent his voice to the hit game Portal 2 or the animated films The Simpsons, Ultimate Spiderman, Avengers Assemble or Justice League... In the film industry, most of Simmons' roles are stern men with leading qualities. Having appeared in films such as The Ladykillers (2004), Juno (2007), Up in the Air (2009), Simmons' most famous character is journalist Jonah Jameson in the first three parts of the Spider-Man blockbuster.

While Jameson, the owner of the Daily Bugle, is often negative towards Spider-Man, he is actually a good guy. He is willing to pay Peter Parker handsomely for photos of Spider-Man, while refusing to reveal the identity of the photographer to his enemies.

Sam Raimi's three Spider-Man films, from 2002 to 2007, became a phenomenon with a revenue of over $2 billion, contributing to bringing Simmons' face to a wider global audience. After the series was renewed, the image of Jameson still left an impression on the audience and was even the subject of many memes loved by netizens. However, with Whiplash, Simmons' acting talent was widely recognized.

The role of a career

Whiplash is an independent film written and directed by Damien Chazelle based on his real experiences playing in the Princeton High School band. The story revolves around Andrew (Miles Teller), a drummer with ambitions to become a great musician. That opportunity comes when he attends the top music academy Shaffer and catches the eye of music teacher Terence Fletcher (JK Simmons). Selected to join the school band to practice and compete in music competitions, Andrew cannot foresee the difficulties he will have to face...

Whiplash is about passion, about the harshness on the road to glory and attracts audiences not only by the mesmerizing drum beats but also by the perfect acting of the two main actors. Miles Teller proves that he is one of the top 9x talents in Hollywood today with the role of Andrew - a guy who is willing to burn himself out for the dream of becoming great. He is willing to spend hours practicing on the drums to the point of bleeding hands, and is willing to give up his girlfriend to pursue his passion...

But part of the reason Andrew struggles so much is the presence of his teacher Fletcher - a real nightmare for the faint-hearted.

From the very first scene in the dark hallway of Schaffer School, Fletcher attracted attention with his muscular body and all-black outfit. That black color he wore throughout the film, as a way to show his power and "darkness" over the orchestra. The language Fletcher used could make ordinary people frown because of its obscenity and hurt. He was ready to mercilessly insult a student in front of all his friends because he played out of tune, or slap Andrew in the face until he said what he wanted to say... Brutal and fierce in the practice room, flowing with every melody on stage is Fletcher's personality.

When watching Whiplash, viewers may not like Fletcher because of his strictness and excessive demands, but one thing that cannot be denied is the charm that radiates from this character. Without the pressure from the "monster" Fletcher, could Andrew have had a great solo as if it was the last time he played the drums at the end of the movie? Not only does the character Fletcher have moments of insults or demonstrations that make students tremble, but he also has moments that make everyone think.

In a conversation with Andrew, he confided: “I’m not at the Shaffer Institute to conduct. Any idiot can wave his hand to get the orchestra to play in time. I’m there to push people beyond their limits of what they expect of themselves. I believe that’s a necessary thing.” He pushed things so far beyond their limits, all because he wanted to find an outstanding character like Charlie Parker.

For his role as a harsh teacher in "Whiplash," JK Simmons won his first Oscar for "Best Supporting Actor."

The Road to Greatness

Immediately after its release, Whiplash was considered one of the best films of 2014. On IMDB, the film received a score of 8.6 while the Metascore for this work was 8.8. Among the series of compliments for Whiplash, it was impossible not to praise JK Simmons' excellent performance. Entertainment Weekly did not hesitate to call: "Let's beat the Oscar drum to honor Simmons" months before the Oscar nominations were announced.

That became true on February 22 at the Dolby Theatre, when JKSimmons was announced by Lupita Nyong'o. The Oscar for Best Supporting Actor was the final sweet fruit of the film awards season for the actor born in 1955, after he swept almost every award in this category in pre-Oscar events. When he went up to the podium to receive the award, fans saw a gentle and smiling Simmons, a complete contrast to the character he played in Whiplash.

After the thank you, this veteran actor surprised with a meaningful message: “Being at the Oscar victory podium gives me the opportunity to appear in front of more people than when doing commercials. Dear audience, don't text, don't email. Call your parents, tell them you love them and thank them. Listen to them as long as they still want to talk to you.”

That message received a standing ovation from the audience. A sentimental Simmons in real life and a completely different Fletcher in the film showed the actor's acting talent. In Whiplash, Fletcher's character has a memorable quote: "In the English language, there are no two words more terrifying than 'Good Job'." But when talking about Simmons' performance in Whiplash, those two words are not even enough and he completely deserved his first Oscar statuette in his career./.

According to VnExpress