It’s always surprising to find out random celebrities knew one another as kids, but when it happens, it is one of my favorite things ever. Think The Office’s B.J. Novak and John Krasinski. Or Adam Levine and Jonah Hill. It blows my mind each time. But I'd never realized this was true for Maya Rudolph and Jack Black, as well.
My most recent discovery was from an interview on The Drew Barrymore Show with Maya Rudolph. The host asked the Bridesmaids actress if it’s true she went to high school with Jack Black, and Rudolph told a sweet story about how he was her mentor. Apparently, she was in eighth grade and he was in 10th, and they were paired up for an improv class, with Black assigned as Rudolph’s acting coach, as she recalled:
He got me into the improv class and he took me to my first Groundlings show, Groundlings Theater, which is where I ended up.
For those who also didn’t know about Groundlings before this article, it is an improv and sketch comedy school based in L.A. that is essentially a comedy pipeline for sitcoms and late-night TV. Maya Rudolph is one of several current and former SNL cast members to have gone through the Groundlings program, including:
- Heidi Gardner
- Mikey Day
- Will Forte
- Kristen Wiig
- Ana Gasteyer
- Will Ferrell
Other notable alumni include:
- Lisa Kudrow
- Melissa McCarthy
- Jennifer Coolidge
- Kathy Griffin
So, she was in storied company there, too.
Though Jack Black never attended Groundlings himself, it was clear he was in that circle of comedy genius. And let’s be honest, does the man behind Nacho Libre and Kung Fu Panda really need any formal training? A comedic prodigy is what I would call him. It seems the Emmy-winning Big Mouth star herself would agree, telling Barrymore that Black was truly inspiring to her when she started acting and improv.
You have to understand something about Jack. Jack has been the same person since the day met him. The exact same person. He’s just that guy, he’s just special.
Clearly, Rudolph is very fond of the School of Rock actor, and over the years, they have been photographed at events. It’s good to see old friends stay in touch. Check out The Drew Barrymore Show clip below to hear the entire heartfelt story.
Though they haven’t worked on any main projects together, they both have been very busy independently. Jack Black’s well-reviewed Kung Fu Panda 4 sequel gave Dune: Part 2 a run for its money at the box office upon release back in March, and Maya Rudolph’s Loot just premiered its Season 2 finale for those with an Apple TV+ subscription. Though the series has yet to be renewed, I would love to see these two pair up again after all these years for a Season 3 of Loot.
