Interview: Jack Black

Janis Campbell - Detroit Free Press

Mar 27, 2008

Actor Jack Black has played lots of funny and memorable characters. There's Lenny, the sensitive vegetarian shark in the animated hit movie, "Shark Tale." And we loved Jack as Dewey, the down-on-his-luck musician who is the most rockin' substitute teacher ever in "School of Rock." But Jack's latest role as Po the panda, in "Kung Fu Panda" (which opens in June), might just be his favorite part yet.

We had a chance to chat with Jack by phone to talk about his latest project.

The idea of a big, roly-poly panda with dreams of kung fu greatness sounds pretty cute to us. But Jack says, "It's not so silly." He adds: "This one, it's like a real story of, you know, this panda's journey. (It's) as real as that can be talking about an animal on a kung fu journey. ... But I'm very proud of it. I think it's like the funniest and coolest movie I've done."

Jack says the thing he loves about the character of Po is that he's this "big sort of daydreamer" who fancied himself as a kung fu master "but really he's just sort of this big, clumsy clown."

Jack, who has done a little bit of karate and judo himself, describes Po's kung fu moves like this: "(Po's) style is sort of soft and bouncy and a heavy butt-squisher. If he sits on you, it's pretty much over."

Jack grew up in California and dreamed of being an entertainer. His first audience was his classmates.

"Yes, I was definitely ... a class clown. I liked to make people laugh and that got me all the way to where I am now," says Jack. Although, he says, he doesn't remember any of his teachers finding him at all funny.

One teacher did seem to have a sense of humor, though.

"There was a teacher in high school ... and I fell asleep in his class a lot, I guess. And one day I fell asleep and when the bell rang he just told everyone to quietly leave the classroom," Jack remembers. "And then he had the next class come in very quietly and I woke up in a class of strangers. I was like, 'Who are these people?' "

Jack says everyone was laughing as he gathered up his stuff and headed for his next class.

Jack says "Kung Fu Panda," which is scheduled to open in theaters June 6, is exactly the kind of movie he would have wanted to see when he was a kid.

"I definitely would have liked 'Kung Fu Panda.' And when I was a kid, you know, I really liked the 'Wizard of Oz.' I liked whatever everybody else liked," he said. He also loved science fiction and action movies. Of course, he hopes people of all ages will relate to Po and the story.

"You know, it's got a nice message about following your dreams and staying true to who you are and not being embarrassed about who you are."

Following your dreams is something Jack can relate to. Growing up, he wanted to be an actor, which he says was "not the most secure thing to go after." He certainly has attained that goal in a giant way.

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NICK NOTE

Jack is gearing up for some crazy, slimy fun as a second-time host of the Kids Choice Awards. Catch Jack as the host at 8 p.m. ET, March 29 on Nickelodeon.

And at 9:30 p.m., immediately following the KCA, check out the debut of Nick's new dance series where you can watch and learn cool new moves. It's called "Dance on Sunset." The show's regular time slot will be Sundays at 8:30 p.m.

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ABOUT JACK

- Family: Jack is married and has one young son and another baby on the way this spring.

- First job: Jack made a video game commercial when he was 13.

- Movie matters: He has made dozens of movies since his first film back in 1992. He would love to make a sequel to "School of Rock" some day. "There's not one written yet, but if there's a good one, I would jump at the chance."

- Fun fact: He said he would love to have a kids TV show.

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