JK Simmons speaks on *those* hench gym pictures

Most of you won't need reminding of those pictures that emerged last month of the 61-year-old actor JK Simmons looking unbelievably ripped in the gym.

But just in case you need your memory jogging... https://www.instagram.com/p/BE1RkVuvvJl/?taken-by=aaronvwilliamson The Oscar-winning star of Whiplash has been seriously hitting the weights, which many people put down to preparation for his role in the upcoming Justice League movie. Simmons will play Batman's long-time friend Commissioner Gordon, taking over from Gary Oldman, who had the part in Christopher Nolan's much-loved Dark Knight trilogy. But the American actor, who is making the jump to DC after having previously played J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man trilogy based on Marvel's iconic comic series, has denied claims that his buff physique was motivated by the Gordon role. He told Business Insider that he simply got stacked because he wanted to get stacked. "This is all coincidental," Simmons explained. "After the second and final time that I got hugely fat in my life and when I lost that weight six or seven years ago, I pretty much decided that I was going to stay in decent shape for the rest of my life." https://www.instagram.com/p/BEjxX0cPvNr/?taken-by=aaronvwilliamson And as for Commissioner Gordon, who isn't generally known for his rippling muscles, well rest assured he's not going to be chatting away to Batman looking as though he's late for his audition for World's Strongest Man. "I'm not going to mess with something that iconic," he added. Simmons was amused by the reaction the pictures received, and said he hasn't got eased off on the training since they were taken. "Those were shot at the end of April. I'm huge now!"

Image credits: Aaron Williamson/Instagram