The Forum

Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black, born August 28, 1969, is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He has played leading roles in family and comedy films and has provided voice work in animated features. His awards include an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, and nominations for two Critics' Choice Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. In 2018, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Black began acting at age 13, with early film appearances in Dead Man Walking (1995), The Cable Guy (1996), Mars Attacks! (1996), and Enemy of the State (1998). He gained recognition for his role in the romantic comedy High Fidelity (2000), which led to further roles in films such as Shallow Hal (2001) and Orange County (2002). He established himself as a leading man with the musical comedy School of Rock (2003), earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. His subsequent films include King Kong (2005), The Holiday (2006), Nacho Libre (2006), and Tropic Thunder (2008). In 2008, he began voicing the character Po in the Kung Fu Panda franchise.