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Kung Fu Panda 4 Reminds Us of These Iconic Jack Black Voice Acting Roles
Jack Black has had a lot of great voice acting roles over the years. Relive some of his best ahead of Kung Fu Panda 4!
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Whether saving China from evil villains or cosplaying as a whale-washin dolphin, Jack Black knows how to capture an audience with his voice-acting talents!
The actor, comedian and musician, whose 30-year career demonstrates his acting range, brings his skills to the VO booth once again in Kung Fu Panda 4. His journey started with modest acting gigs in commercials and television before ascending to the silver screen. He graced us with unforgettable performances in movies such as High Fidelity, The Holiday, and School of Rock. However, he eventually made his way to voiceover work and the world is better for it.
Beyond his iconic on-screen appearances, Jack Black has an extensive array of voice-over roles, lending his talent to several animated films loved by audiences old and new. To help get people excited about his return as Po the Panda in Kung Fu Panda 4, here are just some of his best voice acting roles:
Who Did Jack Black Voice in Ice Age?
Jack Black's voice-acting journey traces back to prehistoric times, the early 2000s, notably with one of his first significant roles in the blockbuster hit Ice Age, released in 2002.
Ice Age recounts the tale of three prehistoric creatures: a woolly mammoth (Ray Romano), a saber-toothed tiger (Denis Leary), and a sloth (John Leguizamo), who are on a quest to return a human baby and survive the challenges of the Ice Age.
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Jack Black portrayed Zeke, a pack member and a saber-toothed tiger in this film. Black brought this loud-mouthed snarky persona to life, which made him one of the most memorable characters from the movie.
Who Did Jack Black Voice in Shark Tale?
In 2004, we were treated to the animated comedic classic, Shark Tale. In this film, Jack Black portrayed Lenny, a friendly vegetarian Great White shark and the son of the mob boss shark, Don Lino (Robert De Niro). Lenny and Oscar (Will Smith) joined forces to change their identities to make it to the top of the reef. Lenny disguised himself as Sebastian the Whale Washing Dolphin, while Oscar adopted the persona of the Shark Slayer.
Lenny's character quickly became a fan-favorite due to the charm and wholesomeness that Black brought to the role.
Who Did Jack Black Voice in The Super Mario Bros. Movie?
More recently, Jack Black, along with a start studded cast, brought the popular game Super Mario Bros. to the big screen, portraying the infamous villain, Bowser. In this role, we witnessed the extent of his talent, as his voice is almost unrecognizable as the turtle villain.
Part of the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie can be attributed to the viral moment created by Black's heartfelt ballad "Peaches," which circulated across the internet. Many people may not be aware of this, but Jack Black has a musical background, and his most memorable roles are often those where he incorporated his musical talents.
Who Did Jack Black Voice in Kung Fu Panda?
Jack Black's most notable animated role is his portrayal of the kung-fighting Dragon Warrior, the Giant Panda known as Po, in the Kung Fu Panda series. "Awesomeness" is the only fitting description for what Black brought to this role. Po's playful demeanor, iconic one-liners, and action-packed fighting sequences are all masterfully carried out by Black's impressive range of voice acting.
Black has embodied this role since the first film premiered 16 years ago, and his star power continues to draw audiences, both old and new, back for more.
Check out some of these films streaming on Peacock.
