Jack Black: Who He Is, Why He Matters, and Key Details to Know

Those most familiar with Jack Black know him from “School of Rock” as musically talented (but fake substitute) teacher, Ned Schneebly. (Actually, he was Dewey Finn in the film – but we digress.) Other fans of his know him for being one-half of the rock/metal project Tenacious D. However, almost everyone who has followed Jack Black is familiar with him from his copious amount of voice work in the entertainment industry. He is much more than a comedian and a voice actor. 

Black Gets His Hollywood Start

Born in Sunny Southern California to two rocket scientists (yes), Black discovered he had acting chops during a game of “Freeze” when he was a young boy. He also had a huge interest in music, particularly rock. 

Black attended Crossroads High School for the Arts and Sciences, where he had initially met his future wife, Tanya Haden. Haden is the daughter of jazz musician, bassist Charlie Haden. She has collaborated with Black on several projects.

After taking bit parts in the 80s and early 90s, Black started receiving more work by taking guest appearances on TV shows. One of his more notable ones was a guest spot on the hit sci-fi series, “The X-Files,” as Bart, also known as “Zero.” This led to more supporting type roles in the mid- to late 90s.

Jack Black: The Complete Filmography 

Black got his start in film in the early 1990s, playing small roles. Here is a chronological list of his films: 

1990-1999:

• Our Shining Moment (1991)
• Bob Roberts (1992)
• Marked for Murder (1993)
• Airborne (1993)
• Demolition Man (1993)
• Blind Justice (1994)
• The Innocent (1994)
• Neverending Story III: Return to Fantasia (1994)
• Bye Bye Love (1995)
• Waterworld (1995)
• Dead Man Walking (1995)
• Bio-Dome (1996)
• The Cable Guy (1996)
• The Fan (1996)
• Crossworlds (1996)
• Mars Attacks! (1996)
• The Jackal (1997)
• Johnny Skidmarks (1998)
• Bongwater (1998)
• I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)*
• Enemy of the State (1998)
• Cradle Will Rock (1999)
• The Love Letter (1999)*
• Jesus’ Son (1999)
• Heat Vision and Jack (1999)

2000-2009:

• High Fidelity (2000)
• Saving Silverman (2001)
• Shallow Hal (2001)
• Orange County (2002)
• Run Ronnie Run (2002)
• Ice Age (2002)**
• Melvin Goes to Dinner (2003)*
• School of Rock (2003)
• Envy (2004)
• Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
• Shark Tale (2004)**
• King Kong (2005)
• Danny Roane: First Time Director (2006)
• Nacho Libre (2006)
• Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (2006)
• The Holiday (2006)
• Margot at the Wedding (2007)
• Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)*
• Be Kind Rewind (2008)
• Kung Fu Panda (2008)**
• Tropic Thunder (2008)
• Year One (2009)

2010-2019:

• Gulliver’s Travels (2010)
• Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)**
• Bernie (2011)
• The Big Year (2011)
• The Muppets (2011)*
• Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem – A Klock Opera (2013)
• Sex Tape (2014)*
• Bad Bromance (2015)
• Goosebumps (2015)
• Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
• The Polka King (2017)
• Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
• Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot (2018)
• Unexpected Race (2018)
• The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)
• Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018)*
• Jumanji: The Next Level (2019)

2020 – current: 

• Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Adventure (2022)**
• Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
• Free LSD (2023)
• The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)**
• Kung-Fu Panda 4 (2024)**
• Borderlands (2024)**
• Dear Santa (2024)
• A Minecraft Movie (2025)
• Anaconda (2025)

*denotes an uncredited role
**voice role

Jack Black’s Most Notable Roles

It’s hard to believe that Black has been a fixture on both big and small screens for more than three decades. Although he is best known for movies like “Jumanji,” “Tropic Thunder,” and “Goosebumps,” he has guest-starred on numerous television shows as well. Some of his best-known appearances include “Rick and Morty,” “Will & Grace” and “Laser Fart.” He even had a cameo in “The Mandalorian” as Captain Bombardier in 2023.

When it comes to the big screen, Black has remained a constant presence in the entertainment world. His movies range from hilariously absurd physical comedy to talented and emotional voice work. However, Black has tackled several serious roles and thrived in them as well. Here are some of his standout roles:

Barry in “High Fidelity” (2000)

In one of his earlier roles, Black plays Barry, a boisterous record store employee. He steals nearly every scene that he’s in. 

Dewey in “School of Rock” (2003)

This cult classic is unquestionably one of Black’s signature roles. He “borrows” his roommate’s ID and works as a substitute teacher. The only thing he teaches is his love for music! Fun fact: the actor who played his roommate (Ned) in the film, Mike White, wrote the movie’s script.

Nacho in “Nacho Libre” (2006) 

Black plays the namesake – as Ignacio “Nacho,” a Catholic friar who moonlights as a luchador to make money to help the kids at the orphanage where he works. This film is based on the story of real-life luchador Fray Tormenta. 

Miles in “The Holiday” (2006) 

In one of Black’s more serious roles, he captures the essence of the quick-witted composer, Miles. He was chosen for the role by director Nancy Meyers after she saw him in “School of Rock.”

Po in “Kung Fu Panda” (2008, 2011, 2016, and 2024) 

Need we say more about Black’s amazing voice work? Here, he perfectly embodies Po, a cheerful but fierce panda who will do anything to protect those he loves. 

Jan in “The Polka King” (2017) 

In a true crime story, Black plays polka band leader Jan Lewan. Lewan gets busted for running a fraud scheme. Events in this biopic took place in Pennsylvania in the early 2000s. 

Tenacious D Hits the Entertainment Industry 

It would be a huge injustice to only mention Jack Black’s acting. He’s also a skilled musician. Most notably, he is a writer, producer, and performer in his project, Tenacious D. Black and Kyle Gass have made laughter and music together for over three decades. Additionally, Jack Black has been the driving force behind music videos and the Tenacious D movies. 

Tenacious D gets its name from basketball commentator Marv Albert’s referral to a “tenacious defense” when talking about the Lakers. Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) has collaborated with Tenacious D, playing drums and also playing Satan in the movie “Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny.” 

Behind the Scenes and Trivia 

A fun fact about his role as Po in “Kung Fu Panda” is that Jack Black had creative input in the direction of the character. Black told the writers that Po should be more of a martial arts devotee, instead of an obsessive fan of martial arts and fighting. He also worked with Dustin Hoffman to perfect his voice work for the movie.

Black has appeared in music videos for a number of his famous musician friends. Some of these musicians include the Foo Fighters, Sum 41, Eagles of Death Metal, and Weezer. 

What’s Jack Black Doing Now?

Besides the recently released “Anaconda” remake with Paul Rudd, Black continues to make music either with Tenacious D or through his own projects. He has three upcoming projects, per IMDb, which include Jumanji, Minecraft, and Super Mario productions.

Nearly 20 years ago, Black formed a production company called Electric Dynamite Productions. They produced movies like “The D Train” and “The Polka King,” among others. Currently, Black has a gaming channel on YouTube, “Jablinski Games,” featuring Black and his sons discussing games…and life.

In his personal life, he is the father to two now-teenage boys and is politically and philanthropically active. Tenacious D has supported the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. Through music, writing, acting, and now gaming, Jack Black continues to stay busy. He is one of the most in-demand performers and producers in the entertainment industry. 

Where Can You Stream His Films?

Because Black has an extensive amount of work, it’s easy to find his films on streamers like Hulu, HBO, Disney+, and the like. Currently, he and Paul Rudd are starring in the remake of “Anaconda,” which opened on Christmas Day. 

There’s no shortage of movies and TV appearances from this prolific actor. You can be sure to discover a Jack Black film or video that will keep you engrossed. This talented and inventive actor just keeps getting better and is a favorite within the entertainment industry.