Trivia

Is the voice of the yellow peanut M&M on the commercials since the late 1990s, replacing John Goodman after the original 1995 commercials. In 2000, a video game was produced, M&M's: The Lost Formulas (2000), in which he portrayed Yellow Peanut.

Fluent in German. He learned it as part of his musical education. However, he has said that he is better at understanding than speaking it.

As of 2017, has appeared in six films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: The Cider House Rules (1999), Juno (2007), Up in the Air (2009), True Grit (2010), Whiplash (2014) and La La Land (2016).

Attended and graduated from the University of Montana. Received an Achievement Award for the university in April 2002. Studied to become a composer before getting to musicals and acting.

Breakthrough role was as Vern Schillinger in HBO's first hour-long drama, the critically-acclaimed prison series Oz (1997).

Before playing police psychiatrist Dr. Emil Skoda on Law & Order (1990), he played a fanatical nut-case suspect on a crossover episode of Law & Order (1990) and Homicide: Life on the Street (1993). He is among the few recurring members to have a guest spot as one character on a "Law & Order" series before going on to play a different character in the L&O universe (others include S. Epatha Merkerson and Jerry Orbach). Ice-T played a criminal who met a "striking" fate in Exiled (1998) before going on to star as Detective Odafin "Fin" Tutuola in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999).

The name of his Farmer's Insurance television commercials character is Professor Nathaniel Burke, which was not spoken, but seen on the nameplate on his desk. This is also the name of the freight agent on Gunsmoke (1955) (played by Ted Jordan), though whether this is intentional isn't clear.

Attended Ohio State University while residing in Worthington, OH. Remains a dedicated fan of Ohio State sports.

Met his wife, Michelle Schumacher, during a tour of "Peter Pan".

His character Dr. Emil Skoda is one of the few Law & Order (1990) recurring characters to span all three incarnations: the original series; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) (the medical examiner, Elizabeth Rodgers (Leslie Hendrix), has also appeared on all three series).

In the well-known and very long-running television commercials for Farmer's Insurance, he portrays a professor at the seemingly fictional Farmer's University, which has labs or classrooms which teach students about disasters, accidents, and more. However, according to the Farmer's Insurance website: "If you become an agent, you'll find out firsthand: The University of Farmers is, in fact, a real place. Our award-winning training program focuses on the Four Business Basics: Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Financial Management. Our non-traditional insurance courses are what set us apart, including a car rotisserie and an all-weather model home.".

Has been in most of the feature films of Jason Reitman.

Played the manager of his hometown pro baseball team, the Detroit Tigers, in For Love of the Game (1999).

Is one of 14 actors to win the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe Award and SAG Award for the same performance. The others in chronological order are: Geoffrey Rush for Shine (1996), Jamie Foxx for Ray (2004), Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote (2005), Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland (2006), Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men (2007), Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (2007) and Lincoln (2012), Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight (2008), Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009), Christopher Plummer for Beginners (2010), Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant (2015), Sam Rockwell for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), and Gary Oldman for Darkest Hour (2017).

Wore a wig to play J. Jonah Jameson in the "Spider-Man" films.

Does voice-over work for Norelco razors.

His hobbies include baseball and poker.

As of 2011, has worked with director Sam Raimi in five films: For Love of the Game (1999), The Gift (2000), Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004) and Spider-Man 3 (2007).

Has played alongside Kyra Sedgwick as Asst. Police Chief Will Pope on the very successful television series The Closer (2005). Has appeared in every episode of the series' seven-year run.

Has appeared in four films with Bruce Campbell. The first two were Spider-Man (2002) and Spider-Man 2 (2004), both directed by Sam Raimi. The third was The Ladykillers (2004) directed by Ethan Coen, who frequently collaborates with Raimi, followed by another appearance with Campbell in Raimi's Spider-Man 3 (2007).

He was hospitalized because of a kidney stone after his role in New in Town (2009), for which he gained 40+ pounds.

Is a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity. He pledged the Delta Theta Chapter while attending the University of Montana (1975).

He has a sister, Elizabeth Simmons O'Neill, and a brother, David.

Has English, as well as Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, Scottish, German, and Welsh ancestry.

He and wife Michelle are parents to Joe (b. 1999) and Olivia (b. 2002).

Played Commissioner Gordon in Dawn of Justice in the DC Extended Universe, and also played J. Jonah Jameson in the MCU.

Include one of his best voice acting roles ever as Cave Johnson in the Portal Series. As this is a very famous piece of his career and is very recognizable in the video game industry.

(1/08) Attended the Critics' Choice Awards ceremony, and was interviewed by Canadian news show "E Talk" (2002).