Friday Familiar Faces: J.K. Simmons

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe! There are plenty of actors out there who people recognize by face but can’t identify because they just don’t tend to get the leading roles. There is a fantastic book (and website) dedicated to this phenomenon, appropriately titled “Hey! It’s That Guy” and touting the fantastic J.T. Walsh as the ultimate recognizable everyman.

This series will spotlight an actor or actress who has recently turned in a notable or scene-stealing performance and showcase some of their best cinematic appearances. More than other any feature, this series will merge the worlds of television and film as needed to highlight a performer’s best and most recognizable work.

J.K. Simmons

Where you’ve seen him most recently: As a regular cast member on TNT’s “The Closer”

Where you might have first seen him: As a neo-Nazi inmate on HBO’s “Oz” and a psychiatrist on a number of “Law and Order” franchise episodes

Other notable appearances: As Juno’s father in “Juno,” J. Jonah Jameson in the first three “Spider-Man” films, in key bit roles in Jason Reitman films “Thank You For Smoking” and “Up in the Air,” and his first AFT Award-nominated limited performance, in 2007’s little-seen “First Snow”

What you might expect from him: A generally kind and well-meaning individual not immune to frequent sarcasm and playing the political game.