Oscar Nominee J.K. Simmons Hosts NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Tonight

Golden Globe winner and Academy award nominee J.K. Simmons makes his hosting debut tonight, January 31. The Screen Actors Guild nominee stars in the critically-acclaimed and Academy award nominated film, "Whiplash," currently in theatres.

D'Angelo will also make his musical guest debut along with his band The Vanguard. After a 14 year hiatus, his latest album "Black Messiah" received wide acclaim from critics and fans worldwide.

"Saturday Night Live" is produced in association with Broadway Video. The creator and executive producer is Lorne Michaels.

For more information on "Saturday Night Live" visit NBC.com. http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/

J.K. Simmons has appeared in diverse projects spanning motion pictures, television and the stage on and off Broadway. His Broadway credits include Laughter on the 23rd Floor (1994) and Guys and Dolls (1992).

His motion picture credits include Sam Raimi's Spider Man trilogy, Hidalgo, The Ladykillers, The Mexican, Off the Map, For Love of the Game, The Gift, Thank You for Smoking, Rendition, Burn After Reading, Juno, The Words, The Music Never Stopped, Jennifer's Body, Extract, The VICIOUS Kind, I Love You Man, Beginner's Guide to Endings, Contraband, Up in the Air, Jobs, Labor Day. His upcoming projects include The Reluctant Professor opposite Hugh Grant and Marisa Tomei, Gillian Raimi's next feature Murder of a Cat andJeremy Sisto's feature Breakpoint.

On the small screen Simmons played roles in TNT's hit series "The Closer," HBO's acclaimed drama "Oz," NBC's "Growing Up Fisher" NBC's "Law & Order," NBC's "Parks and Recreation," and a recurring role on TBS' new hit comedy "Men at Work." Simmons has appeared on the Broadway stage in performances of "Guys and Dolls," "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," "A Change in the Heir," "Peter Pan" and "A Few Good Men."

ABOUT THE SHOW

"Saturday Night Live," NBC's Emmy Award-winning late-night comedy showcase, enters its 40th season in September for another year of laughs, surprises and great performances.

Since its inception in 1975, "SNL" has launched the careers of many of the brightest comedy performers of their generation. As The New York Times noted on the occasion of the show's Emmy-winning 25th Anniversary special in 1999, "in DEFIANCE of both time and show business convention, 'SNL' is still the most pervasive influence on the art of comedy in contemporary culture." At the close of the century, "Saturday Night Live" placed seventh on Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 100 Entertainers of the past fifty years.