Actor, comedian, and musician Jack Black has appeared in over 50 films, creating numerous memorable roles on-screen, but School of Rock remains his favorite Jack Black movie. The 2003 music-themed comedy movie directed by Richard Linklater was a hit when released in theaters and almost 20 years later remains a fan-favorite across generations. The role of Dewey Finn was written for Black and earned him a Golden Globe nomination, and of all the films he's been a part of, School of Rock seems to be his favorite.
School of Rock tells the story of Dewey Finn, a rock star down on his luck who poses as a substitute teacher at a private elementary school only to find that many of his students are musically gifted. Under his guidance, they form a band to enter the Battle of the Bands competition and compete against Dewey's formed band. In the years since its release, it's been adapted into a Broadway musical as well as a Nickelodeon show titled School of Rock featuring the same characters with different actors. In an interview with GQ, Black called School of Rock his "lightning in a bottle" and the "movie he's most proud of." It is clear that the 2003 film was very meaningful for him, both for his career and personally, and suggests that School of Rock is his favorite Jack Black movie.
Why School Of Rock Means So Much To Jack Black
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Black told Entertainment Tonight that School of Rock was the "highlight of his career." Over the years, Black has done just about everything there is to do as an entertainer. He's acted in numerous films across multiple genres – including the upcoming Super Mario Bros: The Movie, in which Black was cast as Bowser. He's also released studio albums with his band Tenacious D and even has a YouTube channel focused on video games. Given this variety, it's perhaps not immediately obvious why School of Rock would be the self-proclaimed highlight.
In that same Entertainment Tonight video, however, Black shared that his best memories from the making of School of Rock came from working with the children. School of Rock featured a talented cast of young actors with whom Black shared most of his scenes. Black also shared with GQ that director Linklater allowed them to do a lot of improvising in the room, letting them build the scenes together. This resulted in a more natural and collaborative experience for him and his cast. Black has credited the director for a lot of the success of School of Rock and worked with Linklater again on Apollo 10 1/2, which was released in March 2022. For Black, School of Rock was a film where it "felt like all the planets aligned," from the director to the script, cast, and music. It certainly stands out as one of his best works, and it's understandable as to why it would be Black's favorite.
Other Jack Black Movies The Actor Loves
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While School of Rock has earned its status as Jack Black's favorite film he's done, there are others in his filmography he loves as well. Black's breakout role came in the film High Fidelity (2000), of which he told GQ, he "had the time of his life." While High Fidelity marked Black's entrance into movie stardom, he never left his music career behind, and was able to marry the two sides of his career in 2006's Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, which told the fictional story of the creation of the band. If School of Rock is Black's favorite, then Tenacious D is a close second. Black was able to be more creatively involved in the film, which he said gave him, "a special sense of pride." Black also referred to the film as "magical" and "the exact movie we wanted to make." From School of Rock to High Fidelity to Tenacious D, the actor-musician seems to have a preference for films that have an element of music to them.