J.K. Simmons recruited his kids for new low-budget movie

J.K. Simmons and his filmmaker wife turned their new movie into a real family affair by including their kids, Olivia and Joe.
The Whiplash star and Michelle Schumacher wanted to keep the budget on I’m Not Here as low as possible, so they called in favours from their children.
Michelle used music that Joe, a college student, created in junior high school and aspiring actress Olivia was handed a role as an extra.
Oscar winner J.K. tells WENN, “The whole end credits is our son’s music. His artist’s name is GrandPseudonym. He also contributed the love theme; the beautiful piano music during the love scene between Sebastian (Stan) and Maika (Monroe). He did most of the sound design of the movie.
“Also our daughter Olivia, who wants to be an actor, is a background actor in a club scene.”
And writer/director Schumacher struck gold while she was casting the movie, picking up young Iain Armitage just before he landed the lead role in hit Big Bang Theory spin-off Young Sheldon.
“I interviewed Iain pre-Young Sheldon and he shot this before that show,” she explains. “He is the most amazing kid. He looks like a picture of J.K. when J.K. was that age. He was doing Big Little Lies for a day, so we had to wait for him but what an actor.”
She also picked up young Modern Family star Jeremy Maguire, who plays Stan’s son Sebastian in the film.
“He is going to be a director, so get to know him,” she smiles. “He knew everyone’s lines and if someone forgot their lines he would tell them after I said ‘cut’ what lines they blew! He was four years old when we shot that.”
Simmons and his wife shot the film, which looks back at the life of a washed-up old man, in 20 days.