Thomas Jacob Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include aChildren's and Family Emmy Award, aGrammy Award, and nominations for threeGolden Globe Awards.

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
Occupations	Actor comedian musician
Years active	1982–present
Works	Filmography
Spouse	Tanya Haden ​ (m. 2006)​
Partner	Laura Kightlinger (1996–2005)
Children	2
Mother	Judith Love Cohen
Relatives	Neil Siegel (half-brother)
Musical career
Genres	Comedy rock acoustic rock hard rock heavy metal
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Member of	Tenacious D
YouTube information
Channel	JablinskiGames
Years active	2018–present
Genres	Let's Play vlog
Subscribers	5.04 million[1]
Views	229.5 million[1]
Creator Awards 100,000 subscribers 2018 1,000,000 subscribers 2018
Last updated: August 2, 2024
Signature

After portraying supporting roles in films includingDead Man Walking (1995),The Cable Guy (1996),Mars Attacks! (1996), andEnemy of the State (1998), Black had his breakout role in the musical filmHigh Fidelity (2000). This led to larger roles in films likeShallow Hal (2001) andOrange County (2002), before he solidified his leading man status with his starring role inSchool of Rock (2003). Black has since starred inKing Kong (2005),The Holiday (2006),Nacho Libre (2006),Tropic Thunder (2008),Bernie (2011),Goosebumps (2016),Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), its sequelJumanji: The Next Level (2019),The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018) andA Minecraft Movie (2025). He has also voicedPo in theKung Fu Panda franchise (2008–present) andBowser inThe Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023).

Black is the lead vocalist of the duoTenacious D, which he formed in 1994 with long-time friendKyle Gass. They won theGrammy Award for Best Metal Performance for "The Last in Line" in 2015. Since 2018, Black has run a YouTube channel called Jablinski Games.^[2]

Thomas Jacob Black^[3] was born inSanta Monica, California,^[4] on August 28, 1969,^[5] the son of satellite engineers Thomas William Black andJudith Love Cohen.^[6] He was raised inHermosa Beach, California. His mother worked on theMinuteman nuclear missile guidance system, the Apollolunar module guidance system^[7] and the science ground station for theHubble Space Telescope, and was also a writer.^[8][9][10] He has three older half-siblings through his mother: scientistNeil Siegel, Howard Siegel, and Rachel Siegel.^[10] His mother was born Jewish, to a family from Poland and Russia. His fatherconverted to Judaism, and is of German, English, Irish, and Scottish descent. Black was raised Jewish, attending Hebrew school and having abar mitzvah.^[3][11][12]

Black's parents divorced when he was 10,^[13] and his father then stopped practicing Judaism.^[14][15] Black moved toCulver City with his father and frequently visited his mother's home. As a child, he appeared in a commercial for theActivision gamePitfall! in 1982.^[16] For high school, Black's parents enrolled him at thePoseidon School, a private secondary school designed for students struggling in the traditional school system.^[17] He also attended theCrossroads School, where he excelled in drama. He later attendedUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA),^[18] but dropped out during his second year to pursue a career in entertainment.^[19] Fellow UCLA studentTim Robbins later cast Black inBob Roberts. In 1995 and 1996, he gained recurring roles in theHBO sketch comedy seriesMr. Show.^[20]

In 1982, Black's first acting job was in a television commercial at age 13 for the video gamePitfall!.^[21] In 1987, Black joined the Actors' Gang, a theater troupe founded by UCLA students including Tim Robbins, and appeared in a variety of stage productions.^[22] Black's adult career began with small roles on prime time television, includingLife Goes On,Northern Exposure,Mr. Show,Picket Fences,The Golden Palace, andThe X-Files. Black appeared in the unaired TV pilotHeat Vision and Jack, directed byBen Stiller, in which he played an ex-astronaut pursued by actorRon Silver. He was accompanied by his friend who had merged with a motorcycle, voiced byOwen Wilson.^[23] AfterTim Robbins cast him inBob Roberts, Black began appearing in small film roles such asAirborne (1993),Demolition Man,Waterworld,The Fan,The Cable Guy,Mars Attacks!,Dead Man Walking,The Jackal,Crossworlds,Enemy of the State, and others. He had a small role inTrue Romance as a security guard, but the scene was deleted.^[24]

In 2000, Black co-starred in the filmHigh Fidelity as a wild employee in a record store run byJohn Cusack. Black considers his role inHigh Fidelity as his breakout into theHollywood scene.^[25] He quickly gained leading roles in films such asSaving Silverman,Shallow Hal,Nacho Libre,Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny,Year One, andGulliver's Travels. He received particular praise for his starring role in the well-receivedSchool of Rock, earning critical acclaim and aGolden Globe nomination forBest Actor – Musical or Comedy.^[26] Black took part in theWho Wants to Be a Millionaire? celebrity edition along withDenis Leary,Jimmy Kimmel, and others and was handed the prize ofUS$125,000 in October 2001.^[27] He has also had starring voice-overs in animated features, including Zeke inIce Age (2002)^[28][29] and Lenny inShark Tale (2004).^[30][31] In 2004, Black guest-starred in the first episode ofCartoon Network'sAdult Swim showTom Goes to the Mayor.^[32]

He starred in one of his few dramatic roles as the obsessed filmmakerCarl Denham inPeter Jackson's2005 remake ofKing Kong, a performance he based onOrson Welles. In 2006, he played the role ofKing Herod in a one night benefit concert ofTim Rice andAndrew Lloyd Webber'sJesus Christ Superstar at theRicardo Montalban Theatre.^[33] That same year he starred as the romantic love interest toKate Winslet in theNancy Meyers romantic comedyThe Holiday (2006). Also in 2006, he starred in the comedy filmNacho Libre (2006), which he also produced, andTenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, which he also wrote and produced. In 2007 he took a supporting role in theNoah Baumbach directed comedy-drama filmMargot at the Wedding starringNicole Kidman andJennifer Jason Leigh. That same year he made a cameo appearance portrayingPaul McCartney inWalk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007). Black has voice acted on other occasions, including "Husbands and Knives" fromThe Simpsons, which aired November 18, 2007, portraying Milo, the friendly owner of the rival comic book store.^[34] The following year he starred in the buddy comedyBe Kind Rewind (2008) oppositeMos Def and the war satireTropic Thunder alongsideBen Stiller andRobert Downey Jr. On December 14, he hosted the 2008Spike Video Game Awards. Black has hosted theNickelodeonKids' Choice Awards andAcceptable.TV.^[35]

He voicedthe title role inKung Fu Panda, which grossedUS$20.3 million on its opening day, June 6, 2008, as well asKung Fu Panda 2 andKung Fu Panda 3; this is his favorite role, and he praises the tutoring of co-star and two-time Academy Award winnerDustin Hoffman.^[36] In addition toKung Fu Panda (2008),^[37] He provided the voice of the main character, roadie Eddie Riggs, in the heavy metal–themed action-adventure video gameBrütal Legend, for which he won the Best Voice award at the Spike Video Game Awards in 2009.^[38]

In 2009 he appeared in the post-Super Bowlepisode ofThe Office along withCloris Leachman andJessica Alba in a fake movie within the show.^[39] He starred in theHarold Ramis directed adventure comedyYear One (2009) alongsideMichael Cera. In April 2009, Black starred in an episode ofYo Gabba Gabba!, in which he vocalized children songs, such as "It's Not Fun to Get Lost", "Friends", and "The Goodbye Song".^[40] Black voicedDarth Vader inBad Lip Reading's parodies of theStar Wars original trilogy on YouTube.^[41]

In 2010, Black made a guest appearance onCommunity^[42] and also guest-starred on Nickelodeon'siCarly in an episode titled, "iStart a Fan War".^[43][44] Black has appeared numerous times on the "untelevised TV network" short film festivalChannel 101, created byDan Harmon andRob Schrab, starring in the showsComputerman,Timebelt, andLaserfart. He also provided an introduction for the unaired sketch comedyAwesometown, donning aColonial-era military uniform. In the introduction, he claims to beGeorge Washington and takes credit for the accomplishments of other American presidents such asThomas Jefferson andAbraham Lincoln.^{[citation needed]} His next film,The Big Year, a competitivebirdwatching comedy co-starringOwen Wilson,Steve Martin, andJoBeth Williams, was released in October 2011.^[45] Black garnered a second Golden Globe Award nomination, this time in the category Best Actor in a Comedy, for his 2011 starring role in Richard Linklater'sblack comedyBernie. He played as real-life murdererBernie Tiede, a funeral director in a smallEast Texas town, who befriends and eventually murders a rich widow, played byShirley MacLaine. Black's subdued portrayal, authentic East Texas accent, and musical talent – he sings several gospelhymns as well as "Seventy-six Trombones" – hadRoger Ebert describing Black's work as "one of the performances of the year."^[46] He presented the tribute toLed Zeppelin when the band was named as 2012 recipients ofKennedy Center Honors.^[47] In 2016, Black joined the climate change documentary showYears of Living Dangerously as one of its celebrity correspondents.^[48] In 2018, Black appeared in the music video forGorillaz song "Humility".^[49]

In 2015, Black played a fictional version of real-life authorR. L. Stine forGoosebumps, and provided the voices of two of Stine's creations,Slappy the Dummy and The Invisible Boy.^[50] He reprised the Stine role in the film's 2018 sequel,Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. He also voiced himself and many other additional characters on the animated YouTube series "Tenacious D in Post-Apocalypto", which he also co-directed and co-wrote, along with hisTenacious D partnerKyle Gass. In 2017 he portrayed a teenage girl inhabiting the body of Professor Sheldon "Shelly" Oberonin the action adventure comedy filmJumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. He starred alongsideDwayne Johnson,Kevin Hart andKaren Gillan. The film received positive reviews and was a financial success.^{[citation needed]}

The following year he took a supporting dramatic turn in theGus Van Sant dramaDon't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018). The film received critical acclaim and starredJoaquin Phoenix,Rooney Mara andJonah Hill. He reprised his role inJumanji: Welcome to the Jungle's sequel,Jumanji: The Next Level (2019), which like its predecessor was also a box-office success, becomingone of the highest-grossing films of 2019. That year, he starred in the children's fantasy filmThe House with a Clock in Its Walls (2019) alongsideCate Blanchett andRenée Elise Goldsberry. In 2022, he lent his voice to theRichard Linklater animated coming of age filmApollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood. Also that year, he portrayed disc jockeyWolfman Jack in theRoku biographical parody filmWeird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022). Starting in 2022 he reprised the role of Po in theNetflix animated seriesKung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight. He also guest starred on theParamount+ seriesBig Nate and theAdult Swim seriesRick and Morty.^{[citation needed]}

The next year, Black voicedBowser inIllumination's animated feature filmThe Super Mario Bros. Movie based on theNintendo games. The film was released in April 2023 and was an international box office success ranking asone of the highest-grossing films of 2023.^[51][52] That same year, he also took roles asJoseph Stalin in theMel BrooksHulu comedy seriesHistory of the World, Part II and Captain Bombardier inDisney+ seriesThe Mandalorian.^[53] Black then reprised his role Po inKung Fu Panda 4, and voicedClaptrap inBorderlands (2024), and portraysSteve inA Minecraft Movie (2025).^[54][55][56]

Black is the lead singer and guitarist for thecomedy rock/hard rock duoTenacious D along withKyle Gass.^[57] They have released five albums, aself-titled debut,The Pick of Destiny,Rize of the Fenix, andPost-Apocalypto. One of their songs from their albumThe Pick of Destiny, titled "The Metal", was used in the music video gamesGuitar Hero III: Legends of Rock^[58] andBrütal Legend.^[59] "Rock Your Socks", from the albumTenacious D, was played in the music video gameRock Band Unplugged as well.^[60] "Master Exploder" fromThe Pick Of Destiny went on to be used in music video gamesGuitar Hero Van Halen,Rock Band 2, andBrütal Legend, along with their song "Tribute" fromTenacious D. "Master Exploder" and "The Metal" featured in thecomedy filmTenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. The film, directed by Tenacious D veteranLiam Lynch, featured recurring characters from Black's comedy such as Lee the super-fan and theSasquatch. Several celebrities had roles in the film; actorTim Robbinscameos as doesDave Grohl asSatan.Ben Stiller also makes an appearance as a worker at aGuitar Center, even having a role in the music video for "Tribute".^[61]

Tenacious D helped the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation^[62] raise awareness of these diseases and funds for the organization in Los Angeles on December 20, 2001,^[63] and in San Diego, California on June 16, 2007. Tenacious D can be seen performing in the 90s-eraPauly Shore filmBio-Dome where the duo is performing its song "The Five Needs" at a "Save the Environment" party. Black was also a guest star on an episode ofThe Ellen DeGeneres Show entitled "Ellen the Musical", alongside Broadway starKristin Chenoweth and teenage singer-actressOlivia Olson. On the show, besides singing, he discussed his then-upcoming filmNacho Libre with the host.^{[citation needed]}

In 2000, Jack Black (along withKyle Gass) provided backing vocals topunk rock bandThe Vandals' song "Fourteen", which appears on their albumLook What I Almost Stepped In....^[64] Black has also appeared onDave Grohl'sProbot album, providing vocals for the hidden song "I Am The Warlock", andLynch'sFake Songs album, providing vocals for the song "Rock and Roll Whore". Black performed a cover ofMarvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" in the last sequence ofHigh Fidelity. He lent his musical abilities to theQueens of the Stone Age song "Burn the Witch" with rhythmic stomps and claps.^[65] He also provided vocals for two tracks on the 2006 albumDeath by Sexy byEagles of Death Metal, and onThe Lonely Island's track "Sax Man" from the albumIncredibad.^{[citation needed]}

Black also recorded a duet onMeat Loaf's album,Hang Cool Teddy Bear, on the song "Like a Rose".^[66] Meat Loaf also played Black's father in thePick of Destiny movie. Black has appeared in music videos ofBeck's "Sexx Laws";Foo Fighters' "Learn to Fly", "Low", and "The One"; TheEagles of Death Metal's "I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)";Sum 41's "Things I Want";Dio's "Push";Weezer's "Photograph";The Mooney Suzuki's "In a Young Man's Mind";"Weird Al" Yankovic's "Tacky", andDie Antwoord's "Ugly Boy". In October 2010, Tenacious D appeared atBlizzCon 2010, a convention hosted by the game designers,Blizzard Entertainment. In 2012, Jack Black joined up with other celebrities to record "Book People Unite", a song sponsored by the Library of Congress and RIF.^[67]

Black did guest vocals and appeared on theDethklok soundtrack albumThe Doomstar Requiem.^[68] He sings the parts for Dethklok's original band manager as well as a blogger. Black, as a member of Tenacious D, won the award for Best Metal Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards.^[69] The song "The Last in Line" won the award, a cover of the song of the same name byDio that appeared on the tribute albumThis Is Your Life.^{[citation needed]}

On July 14, 2024, Tenacious D celebrated Gass' birthday during their performance at theICC Sydney Theater. A birthday cake was brought out and Black encouraged Gass to make a wish. Gass responded, "Don't miss Trump next time," referring to theattempted assassination of Donald Trump the day before. Two days later, Black wrote on social media that he was "blindsided" by Gass' comment and that he did not condone hate speech or political violence "in any form". Tenacious D canceled the rest of their world tour, and Black said their "creative plans are on hold". Gass apologized on social media, calling his comment "highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake". Gass deleted his apology later that week.^{[70][71][72][73]}

On December 21, 2018, Black created a YouTube channel calledJablinski Games. Within one week of its launch, it had amassed over 1 million subscribers.^[74] The videos published on the channel are typically either candid vlogs involving Black and his two sons, or gaming content.^[75] Black created the channel largely to bond with his son, who serves asvideographer andeditor of the channel.^[76][77] On July 21, 2019, Black took part in aMinecraft stream with popular YouTuberPewDiePie to raise money for theNational Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), in the wake of the suicide ofEtika in June 2019. After two days of streaming, they raised $30,479 with the stream being broadcast live both on YouTube and on the streaming platform DLive.^[78][79] As of June 2023, Jablinski Games has 5.04 million subscribers and 216 million video views.^[80]

In August 2006, Black registered his own production company, Electric Dynamite Productions, Inc. The company's first work produced was the 2009 mockumentaryBranson, which was a co-production with BranMo Productions and Perfect Weekend.^[81] In 2011, the company would produce two TV-movies, My Life As an Experiment and Shredd.^[82] In 2013, the company notably produced TV seriesGhost Ghirls^[83] for the now-defunctYahoo! Screen, as well as obtained the rights to adapt the UK mockumentaryWizard's Way intoa feature film.^[84] The company would also be a producer credit onThe D Train (2015) andThe Polka King (2017), both of which featured Black in the starring role. The company producedThe Aquabats! RadVentures! in 2018, the dark-comedy filmHappily in 2021.^[82]

Black has been nominated for threeGolden Globe Awards. On September 18, 2018, Black was inducted into Hollywood's Walk of Fame.^[94]

At age 14, Black struggled withcocaine use. He said, "I was having a lot of troubles with cocaine ... I was hanging out with some pretty rough characters. I was scared to go to school because one of them wanted to kill me. I wanted to get out of there."^[105] One of Black's brothers, Howard, died ofAIDS in 1991 at age 36.^[105] His oldest brother,Neil Siegel, is an engineer, scientist, and musician.^[106]

Black dated actressLaura Kightlinger between 1996 and 2005.^{[107][108][109][110][111][excessive citations]} In January 2006, Black became engaged to singerTanya Haden, a daughter of jazz bassistCharlie Haden. They had both attended Crossroads School, and 15 years after graduating they met again at a friend's birthday party. They married on March 14, 2006, inBig Sur, California.^[112][113] Their sons were born in 2006 and 2008.^[114][115]

Although anatheist,^[116][117] Black identifies asnominally Jewish, and fatherhood influenced his decision to raise his children in the Jewish faith.^[118]

Black endorsedBarack Obama's2012 re-election campaign.^[119] In 2015, he visitedKampala as part ofComic Relief USA's Red Nose Day.^[120] Black is an outspoken critic ofDonald Trump. On the day ofTrump's 2017 presidential inauguration, he and Tenacious D bandmateKyle Gass performed their 2006 protest song "The Government Totally Sucks". Black said to the audience beforehand, "We haven't played it for years, because it just never felt appropriate—but now, we're happy to unleash the beast. The government totally sucks."^[121] Before the 2022 election, Black hosted a letter and text writing party to rallyVoteRiders volunteers engaged in educating eligible voters about voter ID requirements in their states.^[122] Of the 2022 midterms, he said, "[S]o much is on the ballot this cycle. We've got a woman's right to choose. The environment is on the ballot, environmental protections. And not to mention democracy is on the ballot. There's so, there's so many divides in this country right now." Black said he viewed a potential reelection bid by Trump as a threat that is "always lurking in the background."^[123]

• Jack Black atAllMusic
• Jack Black discography atDiscogs
• Jack Black atIMDb
• Jack Black atRotten Tomatoes