‘Whiplash’ Cast Star J.K. Simmons Talks Acting In ‘Spider-Man,’ ‘Up in the Air,’ ‘Oz’ & ‘Juno’ [VIDEOS]

If you don't know actor J.K. Simmons by name, then you undboutedly do by seeing him. The actor has appeared in anything from Juno to Up in the Air to Law & Order and Oz. And, of course, he's also been seen in the Spider-Man films. Now, Simmons stars as Fletcher, the hard ass teacher at a respected music conservatory where a new young drummer has enrolled, in Whiplash. Throughout the film, Fletcher stops at nothing to not only make a student realize his or her potential but also to see to it that they fulfill it.

Simmons recently discussed Whiplash with Deadline. On the film, which has surprised audiences by being a standout of the Indy movie genre, Simmons states, "It reminded me of when Jason Reitman handed me the script for Juno. There was a look in his eyes. ... Every time I turned the page, I got even more engrossed. To that end, it was like when the audience leaves the theater: I was exhilarated but also felt like I had the crap beat out of me."

He goes on further to discuss his hard-hitting character, Fletcher, admitting that he instantly felt as if he knew the man, "not because of anything other than what Damien put on the page."

Simmons has been known to play a number of different characters in his days of acting, anything from a Nazi in HBO's Oz to a therapist in Law & Order, and of course, a concerned (and hilarious) father in the Oscar Award winning film Juno.

How does he choose between his diverse talents? Well, by not repeating himself. "I just want to do something that is good and speaks to me," the actor tells Deadline. "There's something I'm excited about now that is more of an alpha male part, but again, it's intelligent, layered and would be exciting to do."

For more from Whiplash and the actor's interview, hop on over to Deadline.