One of the most memorable comic book character portrayals is J.K Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson from Sam Raimi’s ‘Spider-Man‘ trilogy. Who else could perfectly capture the cigar-chomping, anti-Spidey newspaper editor? But, there was one person a little bit envious of Simmons’ stellar performance. And that’s none other than legendary Stan Lee.
Simmons has always been the face (and attitude) of J. Jonah Jameson since 2002’s ‘Spider-Man.’ But what many don’t know is that Stan Lee, who co-created Spider-Man in 1962, had his eyes set on playing the loud-mouthed editor.
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J.K. Simmons Recalls His Conversation With Stan Lee
J. K. Simmons recently revealed during an interview with GQ that Stan Lee himself confessed about his envy towards the actor during a conversation they had a while ago as mere acquaintances.
“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,” Simmons said.
But before you think Stan was throwing shade, think again. Lee quickly followed up with, “But having seen you do it, I thought you were fantastic.”
That’s the kind of praise that could make any actor’s day. Simmons, clearly touched by Lee’s words, called it “a great, great compliment.” Stan Lee isn’t just any critic — he’s the creator of some of the most iconic heroes and villains to ever grace the pages of a comic book.
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The Legacy Of J.K. Simmons‘ Iconic Role
In 2018, Stan Lee passed away at the age of 95. Fans treasured his cameos, which started with 2002 ‘Spider-Man‘, as an Easter surprise.
Meanwhile, J.K. Simmons, who played the iconic role of J. Jonah Jameson in the initial Spider-Man films, didn’t stop with Raimi’s trilogy. He returned as the gruff editor in ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘, released in 2023.
And honestly, at this point, could you even imagine anyone else but him in the role. It’s like J.J. Jameson and J.K. Simmons are one and the same — just as Stan Lee envisioned.
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