J.K. Simmons Shares His Take on Gaming and His Love for Portal 2

In a recent chat on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, talented actor J.K. Simmons opened up about his experiences with video games, especially those he’s lent his voice to. While he doesn’t consider himself a gamer, he does have a soft spot for the script of Portal 2, where he voiced the quirky character Cave Johnson.

When asked if he gets recognized for his roles in games, Simmons shared a funny moment. “A friend sent me a video of my character from Baldur’s Gate,” he recounted. “He said, ‘I’m about to kill you.’ I just thought, well, good luck with that!”

But when it comes to actually playing games, Simmons is not a fan. “My hands just don’t work with those controllers,” he admitted. “I’ve tried it out, but my kids, who are in their twenties, are the real gamers in the house. My wife even joins them for some Mario Bros. action, but me? Nope, I just can’t get into it.”

Despite not being much of a player, Simmons does have a favorite among the projects he’s worked on. “For me, it has to be Portal 2. The script was hilarious, and I could have easily seen it adapted into a feature film or a stage play. The writing was just so much fun,” he said fondly.

Interestingly, Simmons reprised his role as Cave Johnson for the 2022 game Aperture Desk Job, which was tied to the Steam Deck release. Eric Wolpaw, the original writer who crafted the character, also returned to work on Desk Job, keeping the spirit of Portal alive.

It’s worth noting that actors often have varying levels of involvement with gaming. For instance, Elias Toufexis, known for his roles in Deus Ex and Starfield, is an avid gamer, while others like Steven Ogg from Grand Theft Auto 5 prefer to stick to literature. It’s a diverse world out there for actors and their engagement with gaming culture!