J.K. Simmons compares Portal 2 vision to Baldur’s Gate 3

When major movie stars turn to video games, the lines between acting and gaming blur into something wonderfully unexpected. Prolific actor J.K. Simmons recently dove into this intersection with a chat on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, reflecting on his time in the gaming world and the scripts that shaped his career.

Asked if he received recognition for his video game roles, Simmons offered a moment of playful reflection. He mentioned a funny anecdote about his character from Baldur’s Gate, recounting a line delivered by a character named Tom Britney: “I’m about to kill you.”

When pressed on whether he actually enjoys playing games, the answer was an emphatic no. Simmons admitted that his hands simply don’t work well with controllers. While he noted that his kids and wife occasionally get into things like Mario Bros, he remains firmly outside the realm of gameplay.

However, even if play is off the table, Simmons has a clear favorite among all the games he has been involved in: Portal 2. For him, the appeal wasn’t about the mechanics, but the sheer brilliance and hilarity of the writing. He found the script so fun that he imagined himself starring in the feature film or a stage play.

This appreciation for game narratives extends beyond his acting work, as Simmons recently reprised his role as Cave Johnson for the 2022 Steam Deck tie-in title, Aperture Desk Job. This connection highlights how deeply immersive world-building—whether on screen or in a script—can captivate an actor.

The creative synergy extended further, as the writer of Portal 2, Eric Wolpaw, also returned to contribute his talents to the game series for Desk Job. It’s a testament to how narratives can cross mediums, engaging both players and performers.

Simmons’ experience underscores a growing trend: actors are increasingly engaging with video games not just as consumers but as creative partners. This isn’t an isolated interest; other stars are also finding their niche in the digital landscape. For instance, actor Elias Toufexis is all-in on gaming, while Konatsu Kato streamed her initial playthrough of Silent Hill FS to massive fanfare. Even Steven Ogg, known for his work in Grand Theft Auto V, advocates for putting away childish things and reading Dostoevsky instead.