“Whiplash” star and newly crowned Oscar winner JK Simmons got right to the point when posed with the age-old question: “What does this win mean to you?”
“More opportunities,” the 60-year-old actor answered in front of reporters after winning the gold statue for Best Supporting Actor in Damien Chazelle‘s drama.
In “Whiplash,” Simmons plays Terence Fletcher, an abrasive, abusive and obsessive music professor who pushes promising young drumming student Andrew (Miles Teller) to his breaking point, all in the name of nurturing his innate talent. Simmons has a long history with the project, having first played the role in Chazelle’s short film of the same name.
An Oscar win will not only give the prolific character actor more opportunities, but perhaps more visibility with general moviegoing audiences as well.
“Well, maybe more people saw me tonight than see me in the [Farmers Insurance] commercials for the first time,” he quipped. “Because I know those are seen by more people than the films.”
The actor also put things in perspective with regard to the highs and lows he’s experienced in his long career.
“It’s definitely more tiring than the lean times,” he said of his current awards season high. “The lean times you get plenty of sleep. You’re not flying around everywhere. The lean times were wonderful, beautiful part of my life … I look back on those times with great fondness.”
Recording artists Tegan Quin and Sara Quin ("Everything Is Awesome" from "The Lego Movie")
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Model Karolina Kurkova rocks Marchesa
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Anna Kendrick ("The Last 5 Years") in Thakoon
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Josh Hutcherson ("The Hunger Games")
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Gina Rodriguez ("Jane the Virgin")
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Jamie Chung in Yanina Couture
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America Ferrera in Jenny Packham
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Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck
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Kelly Preston and John Travolta
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Ryan Seacrest
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TV personalities Charissa Thompson and Mario Lopez
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Michael Strahan
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Set decorator Tatiana MacDonald ("The Imitation Game") and production designer Maria Djurkovic ("The Imitation Game")
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Michael Keaton with "Birdman" director Alejandro González Iñárritu
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"Good Morning America" TV personality Robin Roberts
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Composer Hans Zimmer ("Interstellar")
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Disney Channel star Zendaya
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Kevin Hart ("Get Hard")
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John Stamos ("Full House")
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Oscar statues outside the entrance of the Dolby Theatre
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Gwyneth Paltrow
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See what all of the Oscar nominees, presenters and guests are wearing as they arrive at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood for the 87th annual Academy Awards