Jack Black admits there’s one film he isn’t proud of—calling it a ‘sell-out’ moment.
The beloved actor, known for his infectious energy and comedic genius, has built an impressive career, boasting over 190 IMDb credits. His most popular films include School of Rock, The Holiday, and the Kung Fu Panda franchise.
His breakout role came in the cult-classic musical film High Fidelity, and since then, he’s amassed a huge and devoted fanbase.
Fans can’t get enough of him, with one admirer declaring, “Jack Black steadily climbs higher on my list of all-time favorite people.”
Another gushed, “Jack Black just does it for me. He oozes charisma, he’s crazy talented, doesn’t take himself too seriously, and seems like a blast to be around.”
But while Black’s career has been filled with hits, he openly admits that not every project has been a success. In fact, there’s one particular film he regrets making—and he hasn’t been shy about saying so.
Even at the time of its release, the film sparked controversy—and the debate continues on social media today.
One viewer questioned, “How did this film even make it off the drawing board?”
Echoing that sentiment, another added, “This movie was definitely a product of its time…”
However, some have come to its defense. One fan argued, “There’s actually a very good message behind this movie.”
Another reflected on its impact, writing, “Watching this as a kid was great. Watching it as an adult now? It just hits you right in the gut.”
Black’s co-star, Gwyneth Paltrow, has described Shallow Hal as a ‘disaster.’
The romantic comedy film, released in 2001, follows a shallow man called Hal (played by Black) who falls in love with a 300-pound woman named Rosemary after being hypnotized into only seeing a person’s inner beauty.
With his change in perception, the women Hal now finds attractive are seen as ‘monstrous’ and ‘ugly’ by others.
Paltrow, who played Rosemary, wore a fat suit for the role and she’s since spoken out about the experience.
The actress recalled the experience in an interview with The Guardian, saying, “It was so sad. It was so disturbing. No one would make eye contact with me because I was obese. I felt humiliated.”
She added that people were “really dismissive” of her.
Ivy Snitzer, who served as Gwyneth Paltrow’s body double, shared similar feelings, telling The Guardian that the experience made her feel like “the worst parts about being fat were magnified.”
She reflected on the impact, saying, “I started thinking, maybe I’m done with the concept of fame. Maybe I don’t want to be an actor. Maybe I’ll do something else. I just want to make people laugh—I don’t want to make people sad.”
Jack Black also expressed disappointment, admitting that Shallow Hal “didn’t turn out” the way he had hoped.
The actor, who reportedly earned $2 million for the role, initially took on the project because he saw it as “an opportunity to work with some dudes I thought were really funny.”
The film was directed by Bobby and Peter Farrelly, the renowned sibling duo behind hit comedies like Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary.
However, by 2006, Black admitted his disappointment with the final product, saying, “It didn’t turn out as I’d hoped. I wasn’t proud of it, and I got paid a lot of money, so, in retrospect, it feels like a sell-out.”
