Jack Black

Jack Black

Jack Black (born Thomas Jack Black August 28th, 1969) is a Golden Globe-nominated American actor, comedian and musician.

Acting career

Jack Black's acting career began with primetime TV. He played roles on several shows such as: The X-Files (Bart 'Zero' Liquori), Northern Exposure (Kevin Wilkins) and Picket Fences (Curtis Williams).

He later took on small roles in a range of films including: Demolition Man, The Cable Guy, Mars Attacks!, Waterworld, The Jackal, Dead Man Walking, Saving Silverman, Enemy of the State, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer and High Fidelity, which particularly garnered him more exposure.

His career soon led to leading parts, showing his diversity with roles in Shallow Hal, Orange County, School of Rock, Envy, King Kong, Nacho Libre and Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny.

It wasn't just straight comedy roles that Jack Black would land and 2007 would show this. Starring alongside Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, and Kate Winslet in The Holiday, Jack Black played Miles, the love interest of Winslet's character. Then in 2007 he starred in Margot at the Wedding alongside Nicole Kidman, a tragic comedy drama.

During 2008 Jack Black appeared in three films - Be Kind Rewind, which was written and directed by Michel Gondry. He voiced the main character, Po, in the animated film Kung Fu Panda and played Jeff 'Fats' Portnoy in Tropic Thunder.

Music Career

Jack Black makes up one half of the comedy and rock music duo Tenacious D, alongside his friend Kyle Gass.

The group has a large cult following and have released two albums, a self-titled debut and the follow up, The Pick of Destiny. Along with the music, the duo starred in Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny - a fictionalised account of the band's formation.

Black has appeared in music videos by Beck, "Sexx Laws"; Foo Fighters "Learn To Fly", "Low", and "The One"; The Eagles of Death Metal, "I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)"; Sum 41 "Things I Want"; and Weezer "Photograph."

Personal life

Jack Black dated actress and comedian Laura Kightlinger from 1997 until 2005.

In January 2006, he got engaged to Tanya Haden the daughter of the jazz double bassist Charlie Haden. Tanya an accomplished cellist married Jack Black in March 2006.

They have two sons, Samuel Jason "Sammy" Black who was born on June 10th 2006 and Thomas "Tommy" Black, Jr who was born on May 23rd 2008.

Triva

Jack Black had his gall bladder removed.

He shares a birthday with Shania Twain.

As a child Jack Black had a Bull Mastiff and Rottweiler mix named Chico, who died of parvovirus soon after Jack's parents divorced.

Jack Black's mother worked on the Hubble Space Telescope.

As a child, Black appeared in an early Atari Pitfall! advert, which you can find on Youtube.

Regarding exercise, Black has been quoted as saying that 'Ultimate' is the only form of exercise that he doesn't hate.

Jack Black recently stated, during the 2008 VH1 "Rock Honours" that his favourite band is The Who.