J.K. Simmons has played J. Jonah Jameson across two Spider-Man eras, but he still has not met Tom Holland.
Entertainment Weekly said Simmons made the admission during an appearance on Happy Sad Confused. The actor played Jameson in Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home, both starring Holland as Peter Parker.
Simmons first played the Daily Bugle editor in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy with Tobey Maguire. His return in the Holland-era films made him one of the few actors to carry the same Marvel role across multiple Spider-Man franchises.
Asked about Holland on the podcast, Simmons said, “I have not met Tom Holland,” then added, “Delightful guy, I’m told.”
Simmons Said He Has Not Met Holland
The comment came while Simmons was discussing his Spider-Man history with host Josh Horowitz. When Horowitz noted that Simmons had appeared in two Holland-led Spider-Man movies, the actor confirmed that he still had not crossed paths with the current Peter Parker.
Horowitz joked that he had spent more time with Holland than Simmons had. “Yeah, it is. It totally is,” Simmons replied after Horowitz called the situation wrong.
The odd detail stands out because Jameson had a major effect on Holland’s Spider-Man story. In the Far From Home mid-credits scene, Jameson aired footage that exposed Peter Parker’s secret identity to the world.
His MCU Return Was Added Late in the Process
Simmons said his Far From Home cameo came together quickly. He described the call as “a complete shock” and said he was filming the scene within days.
There was not even a full Daily Bugle set ready for him. Simmons said he shot the scene in an executive’s office on the lot because the movie was already well into editing when the filmmakers decided to add Jameson.
The rushed cameo also affected the character’s look. Simmons joked that the late decision may be why the MCU version of Jameson arrived without the flat-top hairstyle fans remembered from the Raimi movies.
The Role Was Not Guaranteed in 2002
Simmons also looked back on landing the role in Raimi’s first Spider-Man. Even though he had worked with Raimi before, Sony still needed convincing.
The actor previously said he had to do an “old-school, classic camera test” as Jameson because the studio was considering more famous names. He described the test as nerve-wracking and said the producers wanted someone who could help with the box office.
Simmons went on to play Jameson in Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3. The character’s anti-Spider-Man headlines, cigar-chewing newsroom style and rapid-fire delivery became one of the trilogy’s most recognizable pieces.
Simmons Says He Is Not in Brand New Day
Simmons also addressed his possible return in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. For now, he says Jameson is not part of Holland’s next Spider-Man movie.
Rolling Stone Australia noted that Simmons told ComicBook, “Not in it, dude,” when asked about the new film. He added, “I don’t know who on the Internet decided that that was fact, but I ain’t in it.”