JK Simmons Embraces Being a "Character Actor" Ahead of New Mob Drama
Most actors chase the leading-man label. J.K. Simmons built a career-long habit of doing exactly the opposite.
Simmons sat down with CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Tracy Smith ahead of the July 12 premiere of "The Westies," discussing his new role as a 1980s mob boss and why the "character actor" tag never bothered him.
The Role That's Bringing Him Back to TV
Simmons plays Eamon Sweeney, the fictionalized leader of the real-life Westies, an Irish-American crime syndicate that controlled parts of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen from the 1960s onward.
The eight-episode MGM+ series is set in the early 1980s, following the Westies as they navigate an uneasy alliance with the Gambino crime family despite being outnumbered roughly 50 to 1 by the Five Families of the Italian mafia.
Series co-creator Chris Brancato said Simmons was the writers' "first and only ask" for the role, describing him as being "in a class by himself" for this kind of part.
Brancato added that Simmons is "not nearly as mean" in person as his on-screen characters suggest.
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Why "Character Actor" Doesn't Bother Him
Simmons has spent decades playing memorable supporting roles, from the tobacco lobbyist in "Thank You for Smoking" to newspaper editor J. Jonah Jameson across the "Spider-Man" franchise.
He's previously said the "character actor" label is simply a way of saying he's "not as good-looking" as a traditional leading man, and that being cast as fathers, bosses and authority figures came naturally given his voice and appearance.
His Oscar-winning turn as the terrifying music instructor Fletcher in 2014's "Whiplash" remains the role most closely associated with his name, a part he's called a "life-altering experience" to read for the first time.
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The Career Advice That Stuck With Him
Simmons discussed the difficult early years of his career with Smith, including a period when an unexpected kindness from a fellow actor helped him through a low point.
That story echoes a theme Simmons has returned to in past interviews: crediting mentorship from directors and collaborators who took chances on him before he had any leverage to demand better roles.
He's said he essentially learned acting on the job, having originally trained in music rather than formal drama.
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What's Coming Next
"The Westies" premieres with a two-episode debut on July 12, followed by weekly episodes through August.
The cast also includes Titus Welliver as a compromised NYPD officer, Tom Brittney as the ambitious younger leader of the Westies' next generation, and Jessica Frances Dukes as the FBI agent pursuing both the Irish and Italian crime families.
Simmons also has two films arriving later this year: "The Brink of War" opens in theaters August 14, and "Heart of the Beast" follows on September 25.
TL;DR
- J.K. Simmons discussed his new MGM+ series "The Westies" and his identity as a character actor with CBS Sunday Morning.
- He plays Eamon Sweeney, the fictionalized leader of a real 1960s-1980s Irish-American crime gang in Hell's Kitchen.
- Series co-creator Chris Brancato said Simmons was the writers' "first and only ask" for the role.
- "The Westies" premieres July 12 with a two-episode debut, followed by weekly releases through August.
- Simmons has two more films, "The Brink of War" and "Heart of the Beast," arriving later in 2026.
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Culture & Entertainment Reporter
Marcus Webb writes about music, film, TV, and digital culture. He tracks the trends shaping entertainment and the creators driving them.
