After the image above began circling around the net, many fans assumed that Academy Award-winning actor J.K. Simmons must have been getting into such great shape for his upcoming role as Commissioner James Gordon in Zack Snyder’s Justice League movie, but as it turns out, Simmons is simply a gym beast 24/7.
During an interview with Business Insider, the Whiplash star was asked if he’d packed on the muscle to play a more physical take on Gordon than we’re used to seeing, and responded that he’s been keeping himself in great shape for many years and the timing of photo was just a complete coincidence.
After the second and final time that I got hugely fat in my life and when I lost that weight six or seven years ago, I pretty much decided that I was going to stay in decent shape for the rest of my life.
I was not in good shape at all. I was overweight and soft and here I am playing the head of the Aryan Brotherhood in this maximum-security prison in the first-ever HBO original drama (Oz) and I was watching the first season when it came out and I just thought, ‘Wow, I don’t believe this guy at all. I have to get my ass to the gym and be a believable hard-ass.’
So, fans may not get to see Gordon mix it up with the criminals, but thanks to the info from the recent Justice League set reports, we know that we can expect Simmons to bring us a very comic-faithful interpretation of the character.
Justice League is set for release next November. While we wait for more info to emerge from Comic-Con, tell us, are you excited to see DC’s premiere superteam assemble for the first time on the big screen?