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Who is Jimmi Simpson?
He is an actor with 85 acting credits to his name, and according to critics and his fans, over the years, Jimmi Simpson has gained recognition for his remarkable talent and versatility, solidifying his status as a beloved figure both in film and on television. He’s perhaps known best for his roles in the series “House of Cards” and “Westworld”, the latter bringing him a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Let us tell you more about this respectable actor, his life, his career, and the most notable roles that showed his ability to tackle a wide range of characters in both comedy and drama.
Early life, family, and education
Born James Raymond Simpson under the zodiac sign of Scorpio on 21 November 1975, he’s today aged 47, as of September 2023) A native of Hackettstown, New Jersey USA, Jimmi holds American nationality, and comes from a family of English descent. Raised alongside his two elder brothers by their parents, about whom nothing is known as he respects their privacy, who also prefer to keep their lives away from the public eye.
As a teenager, Jimmi discovered his love for performing, and while he was in high school took his first acting classes. Speaking of his educational background, he attended a local high school, and upon matriculating in 1993, Jimmi enrolled at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Art (Theatre) in 1997.
Entry into acting
Following his graduation, Jimmi joined the Williamstown Theatre in Massachusetts, where he acted for four seasons. He was 25 years old when he made his big-screen debut, playing Noah in the 2000 romantic comedy “Loser”, written and directed by Amy Heckerling.
Two years later, Jimmi made his first television appearance, as Kevin Bollinger in the mini-series “Rose Red”, which was nominated for the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films/Saturn Award for Best Single Television Presentation.
In the following years, Jimmi mostly guest-starred in numerous series, and had supporting movie roles before he gained widespread recognition for his recurring role as Liam McPoyle in the popular comedy series, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. His quirky character and comedic timing made him a fan favorite, although he was seen in less than ten episodes between 2005 and 2023.
What is Jimmi Simpson known for? Most notable roles, awards
One of Jimmi’s notable movie appearances was his portrayal of Mike Mageau, a survivor of one of the Zodiac Killer’s attacks in the 2007 crime thriller “Zodiac”, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Junior, which had 71 award nominations and three wins.
Jimmi made a memorable cameo as Armstrong in the 2010 comedy “Date Night”, starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey. He followed with his role as Lloyd Lowery in the series “Breakout Kings”, making an appearance in all 23 episodes of this show, that aired in 2011 and 2012.
Two years later, he landed the role of Gavin Orsay in “House of Cards”, a drama series starring Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright and Michael Gill, which followed the story of a Congressman who partners with his equally unscrupulous wife to wreak vengeance on those who have wronged him. The show had 219 award nominations, with Jimmi and the rest of the crew winning two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, and won 35, including seven Primetime Emmys. Jimmi was seen in 17 episodes during 2014 and 2015.
Concurrently, he was cast to play Arthur in the 2013 thriller drama “The Truth About Emanuel”, which earned him and the rest of the cast the Ashland Independent Film Festival Award for Best Acting Ensemble: Feature.
Jimmi followed with his recurring role as William in the series “Westworld”. His character’s journey from a naive guest to a central figure in the park’s mysteries was a significant part of the show’s storyline – Jimmi was seen in 12 episodes between 2016 and 2020. As mentioned, Jimmi was nominated for the Primetime Emmy, and he also received a Gold Derby TV Award nomination for Drama Guest Actor and the Online Film & Television Association Award nomination for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Worth mentioning is Jimmi’s portrayal of Detective Russell Poole in the 2018 TV mini-series “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.”, also starring Josh Duhamel and Bokeem Woodbine, which won the Black Reel Award for Television.
Most recently, Jimmi was seen as Tom Andrews in the 2022 drama series “Pachinko”, based on the New York Times bestseller by Min Jin Lee.
Jimmi has three upcoming projects, and in one of them, entitled “Audrey’s Children”, he will finally have the lead role. The movie is currently in development.
Love life, spouse, and kid
Jimmi’s love life was relatively private and not many details were publicly available. What we do know is that he met his first wife, New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey, on the set of the series “Rose Red”, in which they both starred, back in 2001, and the two became engaged in 2005. Their wedding was held in a chapel on Lake Hayes, New Zealand, on 14 April 2007. Five years later, Melanie filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalized in May 2014.
In 2019, Jimmi married English actress Sophia Del Pizzo. Jimmi and Sophia kept their personal lives away from the spotlight, and didn’t often make public appearances together, or share intimate details about their relationship and wedding in interviews or on social media. In July 2021, it was announced that Jimmi filed for divorce, and the two are now separated.
Although there have been some rumors that the two had a child together, the truth is that they adopted two cats, called Princes Bubblegum and M’Liege.
How rich is Jimmi Simpson? Net worth
As we delve into the world of this remarkable actor, we discover a career marked by depth, range, and an unmistakable presence that leaves a lasting impression on audiences, however, many critics believe that his time is still yet to come.
So far, thanks to his talent, Jimmi has earned a hefty sum of money. According to sources, as of September 2023, his net worth has been estimated at over $6 million.