 JACK BLACK (Carl Denham) has appeared in many motion pictures, but it was his scene-stealing performance as John Cusack’s sarcastic music store employee in Stephen Frears’ critically acclaimed comedy High Fidelity that cemented his place in the hearts of audiences. That breakout role in 2000 garnered him a Blockbuster Entertainment Award in the Supporting Actor category and a nomination for an American Comedy Award. Black then co-hosted the 2002 MTV Movie Awards with Sarah Michelle Gellar; the program was the highest rated MTV Movie Awards show ever and was the top rated cable program of the year.
In September 2003, Black proved his box-office draw with a number one opening for Paramount Pictures, School of Rock, from producer Scott Rudin, director Richard Linklater and writer Mike White. In the film (for which Black received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Musical or Comedy), he plays a failed rock musician who, in order to get some quick rent money, pretends to be a substitute teacher in an uptight private school. The film grossed over $80 million domestically.
In April 2004, Black starred opposite Ben Stiller for director Barry Levinson and DreamWorks in Envy. Black also provided the voice of Lenny for the animated feature Shark Tale, alongside Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Renée Zellweger and Martin Scorsese. The film was released in October 2004 and has grossed over $160 million domestically.
Fans also know Black as the lead singer of the rock-folk comedy group Tenacious D, which he created with friend Kyle Gass. Their self-titled album was released in the fall of 2001 on Epic Records and was quickly certified at gold-selling status. The band had a variety series on HBO that aired in 1999, and the duo has completed filming their first feature, Tenacious D in: The Pick of Destiny, for New Line Cinema.
Black’s previous screen credits include the Farrelly brothers’ 2001 hit, Shallow Hal, in which he had his first starring role, opposite Gwyneth Paltrow; he played Hal, a man who is given the gift to see people’s inner beauty (as opposed to their outside appearance). In Orange County (from Zero Effect director Jake Kasdan and Chuck & Buck writer Mike White), Black starred alongside Colin Hanks as his loving older stoner brother.
Black also starred in 2001’s Saving Silverman (with Jason Biggs and Steve Zahn) and in 2000’s independent drama Jesus’ Son with Billy Crudup. He made his feature film debut in Tim Robbins’ Bob Roberts.
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