Winning an Academy Award is widely regarded as the pinnacle of an actor’s career. But it can also prove to be something of a crux. In fact, after winning the gong, many sublime thespians have seen their careers nose dive.
While Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino, and Renee Zellweger are just three that have struggled in the aftermath of their success, J.K Simmons actually used his 2014 Best Supporting Actor Academy Award triumph for “Whiplash” as a springboard for more mainstream fodder.
In the past fews months alone J.K. Simmons has appeared in “The Snowman,” “Justice League” and “Father Figures.” Last month I had the opportunity to speak to the actor about the latter film, and during our discussion I asked Simmons about how his career has changed in the wake of winning an Oscar.
It turns out that, for Simmons, the only major difference is that he has been on the receiving end of much more offers. But while he is grateful that he has become more popular, Simmons insists that he is still just as picky as he has ever been.
“The only thing that has really changed is the amount of stuff that comes my way. There’s more to choose from, and I have always been really choosey about doing stuff that I was really drawn to.”
“Even when I couldn’t financially afford to be that way. Much to my agent’s frustration. Part of the fun of my career has always been the opportunity to mix it up and try different things.”
"Father Figures" certainly allowed J.K. Simmons to do just that, as he played the most despicable character in the raunchy comedy opposite Owen Wilson and Ed Helms. In 2018 Simmons is a little quieter, though, as he is only due to appear in Jason Reitman’s "The Front Runner," which will also star Hugh Jackman and Vera Farmiga.
