J.K. Simmons to receive Palm Springs Film Festival’s Spotlight Award

A successful, vibrant career as a character doesn”t always translate to awards. Take J.K. Simmons, who hasn”t received many accolades over his 20-plus year career, while being one of the most reliably energized performers working today. He”s appeared in multiple films for the Coen Brothers, Jason Reitman, Woody Allen, and anchored Sam Raimi”s “Spider-Man” trilogy. He”s no stranger to television, where he”s done everything HBO”s “OZ” to recent sitcom “Growing Up Fisher” to Nickelodeon”s “Legend of Korra.” He”s even validated video games with his talent, voicing characters in “Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3” and “Portal 2.” 

Casting Simmons in “Whiplash,” as the vicious jazz band instructor Fletcher, was as much a gift to director Damien Chazelle and his fans as it likely was to the hard-working thespian. When handed a meaty role, Simmons sinks his teeth in as deep as they go.

The industry is finally ready to pay him some respects. The 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present J.K. Simmons with the Spotlight Award, Actor at its annual Awards Gala. The Gala, held Saturday, Jan. 3, will also present awards to previously announced honorees Julianne Moore and Eddie Redmayne. Past recipients of the Spotlight Award include Julia Roberts, Jessica Chastain, Amy Adams and Helen Hunt (and as the press release notes, all four recipients received Academy Award nominations in the year they were honored).

“Throughout his career J.K. Simmons had played a wide range of roles from tough guys in 'Oz” and Sam Raimi”s 'Spider Man” films to nicer guys in 'Juno” and 'Up in the Air,”” said Harold Matzner, Chairman of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, in a statement. “In 'Whiplash,' Simmons” shines with his tough guy portrayal of a music teacher, who physically and emotionally terrorizes a young drummer, and gives a captivating performance that is alternately hilarious and terrifying. We are honored to present J.K. Simmons with the 2015 Spotlight Award, Actor.”

The Simmons honor is another notch on the belt for “Whiplash,” which earned early accolades at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival (picking up both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award) and continued to see praise during its festival run. Sony Pictures Classics is slowly rolling the film out into awards season, hoping to snowball into notable nominations come Oscar time.

Following his ferocious turn, Simmons will next be seen in the romantic comedy “The Rewrite” and the romantic killer robot movie, “Terminator: Genisys.”

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