J. K. Simmons Quotes

Young actors often ask me how do you get an agent, how do you get started, how do you get to audition, and I don't know what to tell them because my story is so fluky.

Ordinarily if an actor gets chosen for the lead in a film, he or she has already built up a repertoire, and everyone knows what he or she is capable of.

I want to do acting as much as I can. When you're on contract with a show, you can't really do other shows. It's hard to do film. I haven't had the opportunity to even audition much for films because I don't have an agent.

I really need to work. People think that I'm no longer interested in acting and only interested in working with the animals. Obviously I have given that impression, but it is not how I feel. I think I'm a good actor. I think I look OK. I don't understand why I'm not working all the time.

I was told once that I didn't play the Hollywood game, and that's why I wasn't a big star. What they meant when was that I don't go to parties, and when I go to an audition and I don't like the script, they know it.

In between shooting for 'Awake,' I was attempting to have my own pilot season. The audition for 'Anger Management' actually came during a week that I was already testing for a couple other shows and we weren't really letting any other shows into the mix.

And I have been able to establish this sort of decent reputation as being a decent character actor.

But the one thing that I did do was establish myself as a good actor.

When I first auditioned for 'Stranger Things,' I was just living in Chicago. Just looking for a job. Working at a restaurant, doing commercials and bit parts on shows. I honestly would have been happy booking anything.

When a film doesn't do well, people start doubting you as an actor.

It's a hindrance in trying to get a serious acting role. The minute a producer has a script and my name comes up, they immediately think of 'Playboy,' 'Hee Haw,' 'Fantasy Island' and 'Love Boat.'

Since I don't have an image to be worried about, I am not concerned about it when it comes to selection of my roles.

For me, as an actor, going from TV to film was interesting because TV and film are two very different things.

If I get an offer, and I think there is something I can do, then I will think about it... I am ready to consider any film and TV acting offers, provided it is great.

Well, not totally because over the years I've probably done 2,700 commercials. So, I'm always ticking. And in a way that was a huge advantage because I was able to take my time choosing my film subjects because I wasn't relying on the fear of not being able to work.

A lot of people are like, "You're doing commercials?" And I honestly feel like those Sierra Mist commercials are better than a lot of sitcoms I get offered. It's hard work, and I'm paid a lot of money, and I do it because I love the soda.

I was offered Vicky Kaushal's role in 'Lust Stories,' which I had declined.

As an actor, you do feel very powerless... you are at the whim of the agent who submits you for a project, and then at the audition, you are at the whim of the casting director who will cast you or not.

As an actor, you're just trying to get work in any medium. I remember when I started out, I did motion capture for video games, and then I did a terrible Best Buy commercial for Best Buy employees.

Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna do anymore TV shows.

I went to an open audition for 'Between the Canals,' and that was a big thing. I suddenly thought, 'Ah, yeah!' Then I started getting brought away to do roles. That's when I got taken seriously.

After graduation, I moved to Los Angeles to do more theater, not realizing there is very little theater in L.A. It was a lucky mistake, though, because after just 2 1/2 months of waiting tables, my TV and film career really took off.

I've always been selective about my roles.

A lot of people ask me, when I mention I'm from Australia, that I must have been on 'Home And Away,' and I tell them was one of the few who didn't take that route. That's because I auditioned for 'Home And Away,' and I didn't get booked, so you'd call that a knock back.

I have always stuck to my on-screen image and I have no complaints as I have got some meaty roles coming my way.