Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, musician, and songwriter. His acting career has been extensive, starring primarily in comedy films. Black is known for his roles in High Fidelity (2000), Shallow Hal (2001), School of Rock (2003), King Kong (2005), The Holiday (2006), the Kung Fu Panda franchise (2008–2016), Tropic Thunder (2008), Gulliver\'s Travels (2010), Goosebumps (2015), and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017). He has been nominated for two Golden Globe Awards. Black is the lead vocalist of the comedic rock duo Tenacious D which he formed in 1994 with friend Kyle Gass. They have released the albums Tenacious D, The Pick of Destiny, and Rize of the Fenix.\n', '

Thomas Jacob Black was born in Santa Monica, California, and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, the son of satellite engineers Judith Love Cohen, who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope and was also a writer, and Thomas William Black. His mother was born Jewish, while his father converted to Judaism. His older brother is scientist Neil Siegel. Black was raised in the Jewish faith, attending Hebrew school and celebrating a Bar Mitzvah. On a guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, he said his surname may have come from the occupational name of blacksmith.\n', '

Black\'s parents divorced when he was 10; Black moved to Culver City with his father and frequently visited his mother\'s home. As a child, Black appeared in a commercial for the Activision game Pitfall! in 1982. \n', 'For high school, Black\'s parents enrolled him at the Poseidon School, a private secondary school designed specifically for students struggling in the traditional school system. Black also attended the Crossroads School, where he excelled in drama. He later attended UCLA but dropped out during his sophomore year to pursue a career in entertainment. Fellow UCLA student, Tim Robbins, later cast Black in Bob Roberts. Black gained recurring roles on the HBO sketch comedy series, Mr. Show.[citation needed]\n', '

Return to Jack Black Autograph Profile