Vernon Schillinger is a fictional character played by American actor J. K. Simmons on the HBO series Oz. TV Guide included him in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time.
Schillinger is one of the most powerful and feared inmates in Oz. As leader of The Aryan Brotherhood in Oz, Schillinger controls most white inmates and has a reputation for ruthless brutality and rape. He is shown to be a high-ranking member of the Aryan Brotherhood outside of prison, thus giving him power outside of Oz through a vast network of allies. This is shown when Karl Metzger and other prison guards are seen receiving orders from and showing deference to Schillinger and his friendship with Mayor Wilson Loewen.
Prisoner #92S110. Convicted October 21, 1992 – Aggravated assault in the first degree. Sentence: Eight years, eligible for parole in five. Convicted in 1998 of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to ten additional years without the possibility of parole.
Schillinger is the head of The Aryan Brotherhood in Oz. An ardent racist, he is serving an eight-year sentence for aggravated assault for beating up a black drug dealer with a crowbar for selling drugs to his sons. Schillinger indulges in varying degrees of sexual sadism, especially toward fellow inmate Tobias Beecher, whom he rapes to "initiate" him into prison life. In addition to Beecher, Schillinger commits several acts of rape over the series against weaker white inmates; ironically, he is virulently homophobic. Schillinger is also quick to have the Brotherhood kill other inmates to prove that the Aryans in Oz are a legitimate threat to the rest of the inmate population.
Schillinger has a number of major family issues throughout the series: his father, whom he hates, taught him everything he knows about racism; his sons are both amoral drug addicts; he has disowned his sister for marrying a Jew, and his daughter-in-law is a prostitute.