Jack Black was born August 28, 1969 in Santa Monica, California to aerospace engineers Thomas William Black and Judith Love Cohen; As a teenager, Jack starred in a television commercial for a video game, but began to get serious about acting when he entered university, but did not graduate. he joined a theater group founded by other students, including Tim Robbins. (who will play him in his first film, Bob Roberts) and began acting in the theater and then on television.
First steps between film and television
Between the eighties and the early nineties, Jack Black appeared in episodes of various TV series such as ProfessionDanger (1984) Hearts in the Golden Palace (1992) Family like many others (1993) doctor among bears (1993) Touched by an angel (1995) Brock family (1995) and Secret materials (1995).
In the cinema, he gets minor roles in Destroyer (1993) with Sylvester Stallone Pain in the ass (1996) with Jim Carrey Walking Dead (1995) and Price of freedom (1999), both last directed by Tim Robbins, Mars attacks! Tim Burton, Jackal (1997) with Bruce Willis and Richard Gere and Enemy of the statewith Will Smith.
Jack Black’s breakthrough as a comic actor
What Black Jack himself believes turning point in his career this is a movie High accuracyà (2000), bitter comedy Based on the novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. compared to book moved from London to Chicago starring John Cusack, record store owner; Black has a supporting role as salesman Barry, but it stands out and earns him several nominations. Shortly thereafter follows a leading role alongside Gwyneth Paltrow in Love at first sight (2001), a romantic comedy of its kind by the Farrelly brothers, as a man who, after being hypnotized, can only see the inner beauty of people, but not their appearance.
What’s left will come soon one of the most famous and beloved roles Jack Black and which best describe him to the general public: the film School of Rock (2003), Richard Linklater’s comedy starring Dewey Finn, a wild but unfortunate rocker who ends up as a substitute teacher at a prestigious high school, passing on his passion for rock to the youngest students; This is a simple but effective story. what are black for was nominated for a Golden Globe.
Other comedies follow, often in the wild or parodic genre, with varying results: My envy best friend (2004), in which she stars alongside Ben Stiller, failed both with audiences and critics, and is not entirely convincing either. Super Nachos (2006), inspired by the true story of a Mexican wrestler.
It was also a bit of a disappointment. year one (2009), the latest film by comedy master Harold Ramis, an adventurous parody of the biblical Genesis, albeit a flop. big year (2011), the story of three birdwatching friends (the other two being Steve Martin and Owen Wilson) inspired by a true story. Black then finds himself among the protagonists of a bizarre comedy. Please rewind (2008), an ironic and tender homage to old VHS cassettes with the history of video rental vendors who artisanally recreate clips from famous films while talking about cinema in tropical thunderstorm (2008), a Ben Stiller spoof comedy starring Ben Stiller in which Jack Black plays a junkie comedian trying to reprise his dramatic role in a war film.
Instead, it’s a classic romantic comedy. Love doesn’t go on vacation (2006), in which he stars as a soundtrack writer alongside Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Cameron Diaz, with Diaz returning to star in Finished sex video online (2014) where he makes a funny cameo as a Youporn owner.
Fantasy adventure cinema for the whole family.
Jack Black also took part in a series of fantasy and adventure films aimed primarily at a young audience: Gulliver’s travels (2010) is based on the eponymous and acclaimed novel by Jonathan Swift which collected well, although it did not convince critics; then he was the main character shaking a little (2015), fantasy-horror comedy based on a series of famous stories for children of the same name, in which he plays the book’s author R. L. Stine himself, battling the creatures of his works coming to life: the film is a success and spawns a sequel, but Jack only plays cameo role, uncredited, in the second film. Goosebumps 2 – Halloween Ghostswhich, however, does not have the same success as the previous one.
Meanwhile begins another successful franchise who sees Jack Black among the main characters: it’s about jumanji, a sequel/reboot of the Robin Williams film of the same name, itself based on a children’s novel, a fantasy-adventure comedy in which we know the characters are trapped in the game; this is Professor Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon, the avatar of one of the players who, after success Jumanji – welcome to the jungle (2017), also returns in the next Jumanji – The Next Level (2019) and the third and final chapter is under development.
In addition, Black is also among the main characters in the children’s fantasy horror comedy. Mystery of the House of Time (2018), based on an old novel, magic pendulumand directed by Eli Roth.
Several meetings with author’s cinema
Although therefore he is better known and known as an interpreter of comics, Jack Black does not lack them either. roles more serious and some meetings with author’s cinema: he took part, for example, in the blockbuster Peter Jackson King Kong (2005) as director Carl Denham with Naomi Watts and Adrien Brody; then he was among the translators my sister’s wedding (2007), a small independent film signed by Noah Baumbach, starring Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh, has arrived on home video.
Among his films we also find black comedies such as Bernie (2011), based on a true crime story, for which it received good reviews and nominated for a Golden Globe. Most recently, he was partnered with Joaquin Phoenix in Don’t worry (2018) Gus Van Sant, a biopic about crippled satirist cartoonist John Callahan.
Jack Black between film and music (ei Tenacious D)
Anyone who follows Jack Black probably knows that in parallel with his acting career, he pursued an acting career. musician: he and his friend Kyle Gass founded in 1994. duo Tenacious D, which offers rock-metal-folk in a comical tone and has released five albums so far; the two were the original protagonists, as well as the writers and producers of an HBO series titled specifically Persistent Dwhich consists of three episodes (not released in Italy) and then the band came to the cinema with the film. Tenacious D and fatestone (2006), a musical fantasy comedy in which the duo embark on a journey in search of the legendary and magical Choice of Destiny; Upon its release, the film received a disappointing result, but over time, the band’s fans began to consider it a cult film.
Music continues to peek into Jack’s work: in addition to the aforementioned School of Rockin comedy Go hard-The Dewey Cox Story (2007), a parody of musical biopics, he has a cameo as Paul McCartney and later plays the real-life Jan Levan, a Polish-born singer-songwriter, in the film. Polka King (2018).
In addition, Black has appeared as an actor in many films. music videos of other bands and musiciansthe most famous of which is probably learn to fly Foo Fighters group.
Animation cinema and dubbing
In Italy, this aspect is naturally less familiar to us, but Jack Black is also known as some voice actor famous animated films: he is the voice of the protagonist Po in the saga of Kung Fu Panda (voiced by us Fabio Volo) and also played the vegetarian shark Lenny in shark tale (he spoke in the voice of Luca Laurenti); however, this year he voiced the role of Bowser, the fearsome King Kupas, in Super Mario Brothers – Film.
Where will we see Jack Black again?
Jack Black to star in comedy dear santathe story of a child who, due to a spelling error, writes his letter to Santa Claus (Santa Claus), accidentally addressing it to Satan instead, directed by Bobby Farrelly.