Oscar-winning actor J. K.
Simmons shared his perspective on the term "character actor" during an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, arguing that the label is often misunderstood in Hollywood.
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Speaking to correspondent Tracy Smith, the 71-year-old actor discussed how the industry categorizes performers based on their roles rather than their acting approach.
"I mean, to me, that's always just been an actor who's, like, not super handsome," Simmons joked.
He clarified that major leading men actually function as character actors because they inhabit entirely distinct individuals across their film projects instead of repeating a single persona.
"Because Brad Pitt is a character actor… Tom Hanks is a character actor… [George] Clooney…" Simmons said.
According to Simmons, the designation has shifted over time to describe individuals who primarily fill supporting roles or serve as secondary performers rather than headlining promotional materials.
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"All my favorite actors, whether they're leading men or generally supporting characters, are, you know, character actors, 'cause you want to play characters," he stated.
The veteran performer noted that this desire to inhabit diverse roles serves as the primary motivation for most people entering the acting profession.
"I mean, that's why most of us want to do this," Simmons added.
Simmons has built a career across television and film, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as music instructor Terence Fletcher in Whiplash, alongside prominent roles in HBO's Oz, Juno, and the Spider-Man franchise.
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He is scheduled to appear next in the historical political drama The Brink of War, directed by Michael Russell Gunn, which arrives in theaters on August 14, 2026, followed by the survival thriller Heart of the Beast on September 25, 2026.
