Jack Black facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jack Black
Black in 2023
Born	Thomas Jacob Black (1969-08-28) August 28, 1969 (age 55) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Other names	JB Jables Jablinski Jackalous McBlackelby
Occupation	Actor comedian musician
Years active	1982–present
Works	Filmography
Spouse(s)	Tanya Haden ​ (m. 2006)​
Partner(s)	Laura Kightlinger (1996–2005)
Children	2
Parent(s)	Judith Love Cohen (mother)
Relatives	Neil Siegel (half-brother)
Musical career
Genres	Comedy rock acoustic rock hard rock heavy metal
Instruments	Vocals guitar
YouTube information
Years active	2018–present
Genre	Let's Play vlog
Subscribers	5.04 million
Total views	229.5 million
Subscriber and view counts updated as of August 2, 2024.
Signature

Thomas Jacob Black (born August 28, 1969), known to most as Jack Black, is a super talented American actor, comedian, and musician. You probably know him from his funny roles in movies for families and comedies. He also does amazing voice work in animated films. He has won a Children's and Family Emmy Award and a Grammy Award. He has also been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards.

Jack Black started with smaller parts in films like Dead Man Walking (1995) and Mars Attacks! (1996). His big break came in the musical film High Fidelity (2000). After that, he got bigger roles in movies such as Shallow Hal (2001) and Orange County (2002). He became a true movie star with his main role in School of Rock (2003).

Since then, Jack Black has starred in many popular films. These include King Kong (2005), The Holiday (2006), and Nacho Libre (2006). He also appeared in Tropic Thunder (2008), Bernie (2011), and Goosebumps (2016). You might also know him from the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) movies and The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018). He will also be in A Minecraft Movie (2025).

He is also the voice of Po in the Kung Fu Panda movies (starting in 2008). He also voiced Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). Jack Black is the lead singer of the band Tenacious D. He started this band in 1994 with his friend Kyle Gass. They even won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2015. Since 2018, Jack Black has also had his own YouTube channel called Jablinski Games.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Jacob Black was born in Santa Monica, California, on August 28, 1969. His parents, Thomas William Black and Judith Love Cohen, were engineers. He grew up in Hermosa Beach, California. His mother was a very smart engineer who worked on important space projects. She also wrote books. Jack has three older half-siblings from his mother's side.

When Jack was 10, his parents got divorced. He moved to Culver City with his father but often visited his mother. For high school, Jack went to the Poseidon School, which was for students who needed a different kind of learning environment. He also attended the Crossroads School, where he was really good at drama.

After high school, he went to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). However, he decided to leave during his second year to become an entertainer. While at UCLA, he met Tim Robbins, who later gave him a role in the movie Bob Roberts. In the mid-1990s, Jack also had recurring roles in the TV comedy series Mr. Show.

Jack Black's Acting Journey

Starting Out: Early Roles (1982–1999)

Jack Black's first acting job was in a TV commercial for the video game Pitfall! when he was just 13 years old in 1982. In 1987, he joined a theater group called the Actors' Gang, which was started by UCLA students, including Tim Robbins. He performed in many plays.

As an adult, Jack started getting small roles on TV shows. These included Life Goes On, Northern Exposure, and The X-Files. He also appeared in movies like Airborne (1993), Demolition Man, and Waterworld. These early roles helped him gain experience in Hollywood.

Becoming a Star: Breakthrough Years (2000–2008)

Black in 2011

In 2000, Jack Black got a big role in the movie High Fidelity. He played a wild employee in a record store. Jack believes this role helped him become well-known in Hollywood. Soon, he was getting lead roles in many films.

Some of his popular movies from this time include Shallow Hal (2001) and Nacho Libre (2006). He was especially praised for his main role in School of Rock (2003). For this movie, he even got a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.

Jack also started doing voice-overs for animated movies. He was the voice of Zeke in Ice Age (2002) and Lenny in Shark Tale (2004). In 2005, he played Carl Denham in the movie King Kong. He also starred with Kate Winslet in the romantic comedy The Holiday (2006).

One of his most famous voice roles is Po in the Kung Fu Panda movies. The first Kung Fu Panda came out in 2008. He says this is his favorite role. He also voiced the main character, Eddie Riggs, in the video game Brütal Legend.

Continued Success: Recent Roles (2009–Present)

Awkwafina, Black and Karen Gillan in 2019

Jack Black continued to appear in many films and TV shows. In 2009, he was in an episode of The Office. He also starred in the adventure comedy Year One (2009) with Michael Cera. In 2010, he made guest appearances on Community and iCarly.

In 2011, he starred in the comedy Bernie, which earned him another Golden Globe nomination. In 2015, Jack Black played a fictional version of the author R. L. Stine in the movie Goosebumps. He also voiced two of Stine's characters in the film. He returned for the sequel, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween, in 2018.

In 2017, he played a teenage girl named Bethany, who ends up in the body of Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberon, in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. He starred alongside Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. This movie was very popular and he returned for the sequel, Jumanji: The Next Level (2019).

More recently, Jack Black voiced Bowser in Illumination's animated movie The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). This film was a huge success around the world. He also reprised his role as Po in Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024). He will voice Claptrap in Borderlands (2024) and play Steve in A Minecraft Movie (2025).

Other Cool Projects

Musical Adventures: Tenacious D

Jack Black is the lead singer and guitarist for the comedy rock band Tenacious D. He formed the band with his friend Kyle Gass. They have released several albums, including their self-titled debut and The Pick of Destiny. Some of their songs, like "The Metal" and "Master Exploder", have been featured in video games like Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Rock Band 2.

Black performing in 2006

Tenacious D also made a movie called Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. In 2015, Tenacious D won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for their cover of the song "The Last in Line" by the band Dio.

Jack Black has also lent his voice to other musical projects. He sang backing vocals for the band The Vandals and appeared on Dave Grohl's Probot album. He also sang a cover of "Let's Get It On" in the movie High Fidelity. He has appeared in music videos for bands like Foo Fighters and Weezer.

Gaming and Vlogs: YouTube Channel

On December 21, 2018, Jack Black started his own YouTube channel called Jablinski Games. It quickly became very popular, gaining over a million subscribers in just one week! The videos on his channel are usually vlogs (video blogs) where he shares moments with his two sons. He also posts gaming content.

Jack created the channel to spend more time with his son, who helps film and edit the videos. In 2019, Jack participated in a Minecraft live stream with popular YouTuber PewDiePie. They raised over $30,000 for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). As of June 2023, Jablinski Games has over 5 million subscribers and more than 216 million video views.

Behind the Scenes: Production Company

In 2006, Jack Black started his own production company called Electric Dynamite Productions, Inc. This company helps create movies and TV shows. They have produced several projects, including the mockumentary Branson (2009) and the TV series Ghost Ghirls (2013). His company also helped produce movies where he starred, like The D Train (2015) and The Polka King (2017).

Awards and Recognitions

Jack Black has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for his acting. He has won a Children's and Family Emmy Award and a Grammy Award. On September 18, 2018, Jack Black received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, which is a big honor!

Accolades

Personal Life

Jack Black was in a relationship with actress Laura Kightlinger from 1996 to 2005. In January 2006, he got engaged to singer Tanya Haden. They had actually gone to the same high school! They met again 15 years after graduating at a friend's birthday party. They got married on March 14, 2006, in Big Sur, California. They have two sons, born in 2006 and 2008.

Although Jack Black does not follow a specific religion, he identifies as culturally Jewish. He decided to raise his children in the Jewish faith.

Images for kids

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  Black at a Kung Fu Panda 2 premiere in June 2011

See Also

In Spanish: Jack Black para niños