Jack Black's 17 Best Movie Roles

From his wild-child rock persona in "School of Rock" and "High Fidelity," to his teddy-bear soft side in "The Holiday" and the movies that prove he can more than hold his own as a dramatic actor, raise your goblet of rock to toast Jack Black's 17 best movie roles.

Dewey Finn, 'School of Rock' (2003)

A slacker musician who steals his roommate's gig as a substitute teacher, then turns his grade-school class into a rock band? Genius! The role was tailor-made for Jack, who gets to be hilarious, outrageous and even inspirational as he teaches kids an important lesson: "Kick some ass."

Barry, 'High Fidelity' (2000)

Probably the first movie you remember him in: As the obnoxious record store clerk who insults customers, hijacks the music system, and fronts a band called "Sonic Death Monkey"; he made our jaws drop when he delivered a stunning performance of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On."

Bernie Tiede, 'Bernie' (2011)

Reuniting with Richard Linklater, Black turned in a critically acclaimed performance as a real-life murderer who won over an entire small town and became something of a hero when he bumped off its most-hated citizen, the overbearing, rich Marjorie (Shirley MacLaine). Black was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Independent Spirit Award.

Po, 'Kung Fu Panda' (2008)

An unlikely hero emerges when goofy panda Po is declared the Chosen One who can save the country from an evil kung fu warrior. Black voiced the lovable Po again in a sequel and a holiday special and will be back in "Kung Fu Panda 3" in 2016.

Miles, 'The Holiday' (2006)

As the nice guy who falls for heartbroken Brit Iris (Kate Winslet), Black was never sweeter. Consider this "The Wedding Singer" of his career: Even if you don't usually like Black, you'll like him in this heartfelt rom-com.

Jeff 'Fats' Portnoy, 'Tropic Thunder' (2008)

Finally a movie that's just as over-the-top as Jack Black! Don't mess with this half-naked comedian: He's got a gun in his shorts and he will do anything for drugs, including becoming a one-man commando unit.

Carl Denham, "King Kong" (2005)

Driven? A little nuts? No wonder someone finally cast Black as a movie director! As the man who puts everyone else in harm's way for the sake of his movie, is he really that different than any other Hollywood mogul? Black admitted he was channeling legendary directorOrson Welles for the role.

Jerry Gerber, 'Be Kind Rewind' (2008)

Black's manic energy was never used better than as the paranoid nut who discovers his true passion when he and his video store clerk friend (Mos Def) begin recreating movies from "Ghostbusters" to "Driving Miss Daisy" to replace the VHS versions he accidentally erased.

Nacho, 'Nacho Libre' (2006)

It's no "Napoleon Dynamite," but this off-the-wall comic creation from the same director features one of Black's most fearless comic turns as a cook who dons a cape and mask to compete in the local Lucha Libre tournament in hopes of saving his local church.

Georgie, 'Jesus's Son' (1999)

When a patient comes in with a knife in the eye, everyone freaks out, but Georgie, the pill-popping orderly, simply pulls the knife out. Shockingly, the patient lives. When asked, "What do you do around here anyway?" he says, "I save lives." 

Hal Larson, 'Shallow Hal' (2001)

Black was at his most obnoxious as a not-hot guy who holds out for hot chicks in this Farrelly Bros. comedy. When he's whammied by Tony Robbins into seeing inner beauty, he finally becomes a better man. It's a fairly queasy mix of bad taste and heart, but Black is right at home delivering both.

Malcolm, 'Margot at the Wedding' (2007)

Probably Black's most prestigious film (after "King Kong"), it's also not a lot of fun. But NY Times critic A.O. Scott raved that Black was "never better" in this feel-bad, dysfunctional drama from Noah Baumbach, where Black is the fiancé who's not good enough for Jennifer Jason Leigh or her bitchy sister (Nicole Kidman).

Billy Glenn Norris, 'Mars Attacks!' (1996)

This Tim Burton comedy was wall-to-wall zaniness, so gung-ho military buff Billy Glenn is actually not the craziest one in the movie. He eagerly signs up to kick some martian butt, but he doesn't last long against their ray-guns, leading to Black's most memorable death scene.

Roger Davis, 'Bob Roberts' (1992)

In his first film, Black plays a guy who's so rabidly dedicated to right-wing senatorial candidate Bob Roberts (Tim Robbins), it's more than a little scary. Black brings a memorable intensity to his few scenes: It's a wonder he didn't get typecast as psychotic nutjobs.

Mental Patient, 'Melvin Goes to Dinner' (2003)

In an anecdotal flashback, Black appears as a man who thinks he's "the Creatress," who designed the universe, but fell off his pterodactyl and got turned into a "nid," that is, just an ordinary human. It's hard work to make the nids around him understand, of course.

Paul McCartney, 'Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story' (2007)

In this scene where Dewey (John C. Reilly) goes to India and drops acid, Black appears (uncredited) as Paul, who snaps at John Lennon (Paul Rudd): "I'm sick of you being so dark when I'm so impish and whimsical!" The other bitter Beatles: Justin Long as George Harrison and Jason Schwartzman as Ringo Starr.

Sid, 'Cradle Will Rock' (1999)

Black appears with Kyle Gass (the other half of Tenacious D) as would-be ventriloquists who can't quite get the hang of not moving their mouths. When their reluctant mentor (Bill Murray) can't go on, they steal his act, with Black as the dummy.