JK Simmons shares why Stan Lee was "Jealous" of him
Aug 18, 2024
Washington [US], August 18 : Actor JK Simmons, who is known for his role as J Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man' trilogy American Comics shared that he got a great compliment from book writer, editor, publisher and producer Stan Lee, reported Deadline.
JK Simmons garnered tremendous accolades for one of his most famous roles, despite facing heavy competition.
Simmons is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award and a Golden Globe Award for his supporting role in Damien Chazelle's independent film Whiplash.
After 20 years as J. Jonah Jameson in the MCU, the actor recalls receiving a "great compliment" from Marvel's Stan Lee for his portrayal in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002), despite Lee's own desire for the character.
"I had never met Stan and didn't even know, and this is kind of obvious to anybody who's really paying attention or smarter than I am, that JJJ was kind of based on Stan. You know, comic version of himself. He confessed to me at the time that he was a little jealous that they didn't ask him to play the part in the movie," he told GQ.
"'But having seen you do it, I thought you were fantastic,'" Simmons recalled Lee telling him. "And it was very, very nice things, which obviously coming from the man was a great, great compliment."
Lee died at the age of 95 in 2018. Lee, who co-created Spider-Man with Steve Ditko in 1962, has made cameo appearances in Marvel movies since 2002's Spider-Man.
Simmons went on to portray the anti-Spidey editor of The Daily Bugle in Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007), most recently reprising the role for Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), reported Deadline.
