J K Simmons didn’t want to get stuck playing “maniacal sadistic bastards”. But after his gripping turn as a callous jazz teacher in Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, it was all he was offered. For a while, almost every role sent the 64-year-old’s way was “the guy who abuses everybody and screams at people”.

It was all very new to him. Over the past two decades, Simmons has been one of Hollywood’s reliable types – well-regarded, sure, but never the centre of attention. Whether it’s as the soft-hearted dad in 2007’s Juno or the neo-Nazi inmate in the TV drama Oz, he simply put in the work and was quietly respected for it. If he was recognised on the street, it was most likely for his role as J Jonah Jameson, the newspaper editor fixated on Spider-Man, in Sam Raimi’s superhero trilogy. You might call Simmons an exemplary character actor, had he not previously dismissed the term – “To me that kind of just means, he’s not as good-looking as George Clooney”.

But in 2015 it all changed: he won an Oscar for his role in Whiplash, the second film by a then unknown 29-year-old director. Chazelle wrote the film in a moment of frustration, as he struggled to get La La Land, his dream project, off the ground. Neither director nor star knew things would turn out so well. “You know, I was 60 years old when that happened,” Simmons who is promoting his new film, A Boy Called Sailboat, says of his Oscar win. “So, obviously, there was quite a lot of water under the bridge in my case. I had already gotten to a level I’d never dreamed I would be. But, when the Whiplash phenomenon occurred, it multiplied the number of opportunities significantly.”

A few years down the line, and the questions Whiplash raises about Simmons’s character – who pushes a young drummer to the brink of destruction – have proven more relevant than ever. As the #MeToo movement has grown, it has exposed the abuses of power in creative spaces, and prompted broader reflections on how we create art. Why do we excuse directors like Lars von Trier or Stanley Kubrick torturing their actors, simply because the films they make are so beloved?

“If your discipline doesn’t come from within, I don’t think someone being abusive is likely to be all that helpful,” Simmons says. Although he’s had “very, very few negative experiences”, he doesn’t tolerate that kind of behaviour when it does occur. “At my age, I have no patience for anything that approaches that kind of attitude from a director or producer or whatever,” he says. “I think being demanding to the point of being abusive is just not how I want to live my life. You know what? We’re at work 13, 14 hours a day. I mean, it’s already a pretty ridiculous lifestyle so, you know, let’s at least enjoy ourselves and have fun together while we’re there.”

47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Show all 47 1 /47 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination American Psycho (2000) Starring future Oscar-winner Christian Bale, Mary Harron’s adaptation of the Bret Easton Ellis novel – in which the Vice star plays the psychopathic Patrick Bateman - didn’t receive a single nomination. Rex Features 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Before Sunrise (1995) While the final two chapters of Richard Linklater’s Before… trilogy earned screenplay nominations, the film that introduced the world to future married couple Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) was criminally overlooked. Columbia Pictures 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Big Heat (1953) Fritz Lang had a number of films overlooked by the Academy; this noir, starring Glenn Ford, Lee Marvin and and Gloria Grahame, was one of them. Columbia Pictures 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Big Lebowski (1998) The Academy’s generosity to the Coen brothers peaked when No Country for Old Men beat There Will Be Blood in one of the ceremony’s closest Best Picture races of all time. It remains surprising that one of their few films to evade any nominations is this endlessly quotable mistaken identity comedy starring Jeff Bridges as The Dude. PolyGram Filmed Entertainment 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Blow Out (1981) Brian De Palma doesn’t exactly make films in the hope of winning award, but his political thriller - based on Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow Up – would have deserved any Oscar it was nominated for. Filmways Pictures 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Breathless (1960) Breathless' failure to receive a nomination is proof that the Oscars can’t be trusted. Despite being one of the most studied films in the world, Jean Luc-Godard’s French masterpiece has an Academy Award tally of zero. Films Around The World 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Bringing Up Baby (1938) The Academy rewarded many notable screwball comedies, though this Howard Hawks-directed standout starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn - who’d go on to hold the record for most wins - wasn't one of them. Courtesy of BFI 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Don't Look Now (1973) Nicolas Roeg, who directed this Venice-set chiller, is one of the most unfairly overlooked directors in Oscars history. Rex Features 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Donnie Darko (2004) Richard Kelly’s science-fiction mind-bender, which made a star of Jake Gyllenhaal, was a festival favourite upon its debut in 2004. Many expected a screenplay nomination to manifest. Rex Features 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) It wouldn’t be until the 1990s that western films found favour with the Academy. It was ironically thanks to Unforgiven, a film directed by Clint Eastwood whose career flourished after starring in this Sergio Leone film that many consider to be the genre’s peak. 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination La haine (1995) Mathieu Kassovitz’s black-and-white drama – translated in English as Hate – follows three young friends and their struggles living in the suburbs of Paris. 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Halloween (1978) The Academy may not be frothing at the mouth to nominate horror films, but do have previous (see: The Exorcist and The Silence of the Lamb), which makes the absence of John Carpenter’s influential Halloween a glaring oversight. Aquarius Releasing 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Harold and Maude (1971) This offbeat romantic drama was a critical and commercial flop at the time of release, which probably accounts for its lack of Oscar nominations. Today, though, it’s cult following ensures it remains in good favour with film fans. Paramount Pictures 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Heat (1995) On paper, the big screen union of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Michael Mann’s cop drama was a shoo-in for awards, but no Oscar nominations manifested. Warner Bros 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination His Girl Friday (1940) Yet another Howard Hawks screwball comedy starring Cary Grant that criminally failed to secure a single Oscar nomination. L/Columbia/Koba/Rex/Shutterstock 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Insomnia (2002) While falling short of Christopher Nolan’s best, modest drama Insomnia – made years before Batman Begins – had enough strong performances (Al Pacino, Robin Wiliams, Hilary Swank) to warrant acting nominations. Alas, it received none. Warner Bros Pictures 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Local Hero (1983) Bill Forsyth’s beloved comedy-drama follows the mishaps of an American man sent to buy up a Scottish village where the oil company he works for wants to build a refinery. Forsyth won the Bafta for Best Director, but the film received no such love from the Academy. 20th Century Fox 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination M (1931) You’d be mistaken for thinking the “M” stands for “masterpiece” in Fritz Lang’s German drama that follows the manhunt for a serial killer - not that the Academy agreed. 20th Century Fox 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination A Man Escaped (1956) Robert Bresson’s adaptation of André Devigny’s memoirs charts the French Resistance member’s time as prisoner of the Germans during World War II, and is even more enthralling considering Bresson himself was held captive years before. Gaumont Film Company 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Margaret (2011) Kenneth Lonergan would go on to win an Oscar for Manchester but he Sea, but Margaret - his three-hour plus drama featuring a searing performance from Anna Paquin - failed to secure a single nomination. Fox Searchlight Pictures 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination In the Mood for Love (2000) Wong Kar-wai set the benchmark for romance in film with his acclaimed Hong Kong drama following a man and woman (Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung) who develop feelings for one another after suspecting their respective spouses of having an affair together. defd Deutscher Fernsehdienst 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The King of Comedy (1982) It may have taken him decades to win an Oscar, but the Academy has rarely balked at nominating Martin Scorsese films – especially for films starring Robert De Niro. The King of Comedy was an exception. 20th Century Fox 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Long Goodbye (1973) Robert Altman’s superior thriller stars Elliott Gould as Raymond Chandler’s private investigator Philip Marlowe in one of the director’s most entertaining films. The director would go on to be the recipient of the Honorary Award in 2006. 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Man With Two Brains (1983) He may have hosted several times, but Steve Martin has never been nominated for an Oscar. One film he deserved recognition for was Carl Reiner's 1983 sci-fi comedy, The Man with Two Brains. Warner Bros. 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination A Matter of Life and Death (1946) The Academy Film Archive may have preserved A Matter of Life and Death in 1999, but voters failed to recognise the Powell & Pressburger’s fantasy-romance at the time of its release in 1946. Eagle-Lion Films 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Mean Streets (1973) It may not be credited as his debut, but Mean Streets is very much the first true Martin Scorsese film. The director would go on to win a belated Oscar for The Departed in 2007, but he’d have to wait until 1975 for his first nomination (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore). Warner Bros 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Melancholia (2011) No Lars von Trier film has ever been nominated for Best Picture, though Dancer in the Dark came close (it settled for a Best Original Song nomination). He came close with Melancholia, but ultimately, the drama didn't get Canal+ 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Miller's Crossing (1990) Despite being revered as a Coen brothers favourite, not to mention its notable performances from Gabriel Byrne and Albert Finney, Miller’s Crossing is one of few Coen brother films not to receive a single Oscar nomination. 20th Century Fox 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Once Upon a Time in America (1984) Though it's by no means a masterpiece, it’s staggering to think that Sergio Leone’s gangster epic - starring Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci - didn’t acquire any Oscar nominations (the film's music was disqualified from consideration after Warner Bros accidentally omitted the composer's name from the opening credits when trimming the film’s lengthy running time for its American release). Warner Bros 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Paterson (2016) Critics assumed Jim Jarmusch’s Paterson would have been a shoo-in for awards recognition - most notably in the Best Actor category, thanks to a quietly fantastic performance from Adam Driver - but no such luck. Amazon Studios 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Paths of Glory (1957) Stanley Kubrick never won Best Director despite being nominated four times. One of his films that didn’t make the Oscars cut in any category was his black-and-white anti-war film, Paths of Glory. United Artists 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Play Misty for Me (1971) Clint Eastwood would go onto become something of an Oscar darling thanks to Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby and Mystic River, but his directorial debut was ignored by the Academy. Univeral Pictures/Courtesy of Getty Images 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Reservoir Dogs (1992) Reservoir Dogs may not touch Quentin Tarantino’s best, but it remains a surprise that the filmmaker’s debut didn’t get recognised in the screenplay category, at least. Miramax Films 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Rider (2018) Of all the 2018 films to be snubbed at this year’s Oscars, Chloé Zhao’s drama - which stars a real-life rodeo cowboy and his family - smacks as the most unfair. Sony Pictures Classics 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Searchers (1956) The role of Civil War veteran Ethan Edwards might be considered John Wayne’s best role, but the Academy didn’t agree: he would win his sole Oscar for True Grit in 1970. Warner Bros 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Shining (1980) Another Kubrick film that was completely ignored by the Academy is the director’s Stephen King adaptation, The Shining. Today, it’s considered one of his finest works as well as being one of the most revered horror films of all time. Warner Bros 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination The Shop Around the Corner (1953) It may have endured as one of the best loved romcoms of all time, but it has zero Oscar nominations to its name. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Still Walking (2008) Japanese director Hirokazo Kore-eda's portrait of a family over roughly 24 hours as they commemorate the death of the eldest son was a glaring oversight by the Academy. IFC Films 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Swingers Before he became Disney's go to, Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Jungle Book and the forthcoming live-action Lion King) wrote this independent film about the lives of single, unemployed actors living in Hollywood, California during the 1990s swing revival. Rex Features 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination This Is England (2006 The 2007 ceremony would have been far better had Shane Meadows' coming-of-drama been in contention for awards. Optimum Releasing 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Three Kings (1999) The Academy deemed Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle worthy of nominations, but not David O Russell’s Three Kings, which remains one of his greatest films to this day. Warner Bros Pictures 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Tokyo Story (1953) Tokyo Story is deemed Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu's masterpiece and was named Sight & Sound's best film of all time in 2012. Rex Features 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Touch of Evil (1958) Orson Welles' classic noir wasn't as well loved at the time of release as it is today. BFI 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Tyrannosaur (2011) Olivia Colman may be in contention for Best Actress at this year’s ceremony, but the fact she failed to earn a nomination (or Bafta, for that matter) for her role in Paddy Considine’s hard-hitting drama Tyrannosaur is one of the biggest oversights in awards history. StudioCanal UK 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Walkabout (1971) Another exceptional achievement in filmmaking from Nicolas Roeg that somehow failed to receive any Oscar nominations. 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination You Were Never Really Here (2018) Notch it down to bad timing, but Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here - starring Joaquin Phoenix - is a sensational piece of work worthy of reward. Amazon Studio 47 brilliant films that didn't receive a single Oscar nomination Zodiac (2007) Three years later, David Fincher would go head-to-head with The King Speech's Tom Hooper for The Social Network. In truth, serial killer drama Zodiac is every bit as good as the Facebook drama. Warner Bros Pictures

Since Whiplash, Simmons seems to have done just that. He’s worked again with Chazelle (on La La Land) and frequent collaborator Jason Reitman (on Men, Women & Children and The Frontrunner), joined the DC Cinematic Universe as Batman’s ally, Commissioner Gordon, and voiced Zootopia’s lion mayor. Not only does the phone ring more often now, but Simmons has been able to invest time in smaller projects. The kinds of films that might benefit from having an Oscar winner in their ranks. “Lord knows, it’s a very crowded marketplace now,” he says, “so trying to get attention for an independent film is a challenge.”

JK Simmons as Fletcher in ‘Whiplash’, the film that won him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Rex Features)

That includes writer-director Cameron Nugent’s debut, A Boy Called Sailboat. The film, in which Simmons appears as a car salesman named Ernest, is a charming tale of a boy who comes across “a little guitar” in a roadside junk pile. After his deathly ill grandmother asks him to write a song for her, the boy writes a tune that mesmerises the people of his hometown, which sits isolated on the US-Mexico border. Anyone who attends the boy’s performance is reduced to tears, and upon leaving, starts to experience vivid, inspiring dreams. Simmons’s Ernest is a folklorish sort of character, whose lot appears to exist miles from any sign of civilisation, but who won’t be dissuaded from regularly practising his sales pitches.

The actor got involved in the film after a phone call from friend and Renegades co-star Sullivan Stapleton, a producer on the project. He was instantly charmed by Nugent’s screenplay, which he calls “truly quirky”. It’s a term often misapplied, especially to smaller films, but here he means quirky in a “very new and creative and human and ultimately touching way”. “They were able to schedule it so that all of my scenes were shot in two days,” he adds, “and I jumped in my car and drove to New Mexico, joined the family for two days, and came back home and rejoined my family.”

A boy called Sailboat: Official trailer (2018)

Simmons is aware of the immense privilege he’s now afforded as an actor, but clearly doesn’t feel the pressure to conform to how an Oscar winner should navigate their career. There’s a calmness and self-assuredness to the way he talks. He’ll often pause for a small chuckle, often at himself, or the “ridiculous career” that is acting. He’d much rather describe himself as “an itinerant carnie”, hopping from job to job, “just doing the best work I can do”.

Beyond A Boy Called Sailboat, Simmons has been toying with a few options. He might make a return to the stage, on Broadway or the West End, in the next couple of years. After graduating from the University of Montana with a music degree in 1978, he worked for nearly two decades in the theatre, starring in musicals such as Guys and Dolls and Peter Pan (where he met his wife, Michelle Schumacher). “I haven’t been onstage in over twenty years,” he says. “So it’s both exciting and, honestly, a bit daunting to exercise those muscles I haven’t been using for so long.”

He’ll also likely reunite once again with Reitman, having starred in all of his films except 2018’s Tully, to which he wasn’t able to commit due to scheduling clashes. “I always joke that there’s a complete lack of imagination on the part of a director who keeps working with the same actor over and over again,” he says. He pauses for a moment, then adds: “I’m not sure that joke plays well in print, though.”

Simmons has a small role in ‘A Boy Called Sailboat’, a charming tale of a kid with an incredible musical gift (ITN Movies)

Many would assume that Simmons will appear in the director’s forthcoming Ghostbusters sequel. The actor was “one of the first people that [Reitman] whispered about this to as a concept”, but he can’t share any details – “under penalty of death”. He will say that Reitman isn’t intimidated by taking up his father’s mantle (Ivan Reitman directed the first two Ghostbusters), despite the fact his career’s turned out wildly different to his. A master of low-key comedy dramas, he’s not the most obvious choice for a goofy, slapstick supernatural flick, but Simmons argues: “He does want to make movies that people want to see. He doesn’t want to be this idiosyncratic auteur who will be looked back on a hundred years from now as having been a genius. He wants to make good, smart, fun, popular, funny, and/or thought-provoking films. And you know, this is just going to be the latest example of that.”

There’s another option for what comes next for Simmons. He might just not do anything at all. At least for a little while. The ironic luxury of having won an Academy Award is that the actor’s been able to turn down more work than ever. “I thought, you know what? I don’t think I’m going to have to sweat whether I’m going to have job offers coming up,” he says, “so maybe I can take more time off and enjoy being with my family. My priority is real life.”