Jack Black is Kung Fu Panda!

Hilarious, talented actor/musician Jack Black always puts a smile on our faces. Whether he's teaching the School of Rock or jumping around in "stretchy pants" as a Nacho Libre wrestler, Jack's special brand of warm and fuzzy comedy just tickles our funnybone.

This week you can catch Jack's distinctive voice and mannerisms wrapped in a loveable, chubby, furry package as he gives life to Kung Fu Panda. As Po, a panda working in his dad's noodle cafe, Jack makes us root for the little guy to achieve his dream of being the ultimate Kung Fu fighter. This will truly be a triumph of the underdog...uh bear, since this panda is a bit plus-sized and not the most agile of his species. When Po is chosen as the ultimate, legendary Dragon Warrior, he'll have to get in shape fast to fight the bad guys and join his idols; the most fabulous martial arts fighters of them all, the Furious Five.

In Beverly Hills near Rodeo Drive, we got to ask Jack about his experience voicing a panda, his growing family, his upcoming projects, his band Tenacious D and the real story about his spilling the beans about Angelina's twins! Jack entered our interview room wearing a custom-made Panda face t-shirt with his own coined phrase for Po; "Skadoosh" on it. He was winding a wristwatch and trying to put it on...

Jack: I need a new watch. It's very stylish. It's made from a meteorite stone. It gives me energy from different parts of the universe. But, it doesn't work.

TeenHollywood: Bummer. Jack, this movie was a very long process. Over four years since the very beginning, but at what point did you get involved?

Jack: I wanna say it was four years ago when I first came in and recorded.

TeenHollywood: Did you feel like you had the voice nailed from the very beginning or did you see a process of your character evolving?

Jack: I evolved as a character. When we first did it, I remember I was like, 'I wonder if that's too whiney or too shrieky.' And calling up the next day and saying, 'I want to come back in. I think maybe I was too whiney or shrieky.' And then I came back and we did it again.

TeenHollywood: Po has a unique Kung Fu move in which his tummy jiggles a lot. Was that your idea or something you just did while recording the voice and they used it?

Jack: I don't remember if I did. I think the animators should get more credit for all those things.

TeenHollywood: Well, your tummy is a lot smaller anyway.

Jack: [standing up and showing us] I dunno. It's pretty big. [He laughs as he grabs his tummy and wiggles it while we crack up] That's my move! That's my best King Fu move!

TeenHollywood: Po's teacher is Master Shifu. Was there someone like that in your life?

Jack: I had plenty of mentors and people that advised or helped me along my road. Great acting teachers. Deb Devine was my teacher in 9th grade. She actually said, 'Hey, why do you want to be an actor? Why don't you be a writer or director? Those are the ones who are really the brains behind the movies. Why do you just want to be a puppet?' You could say that she was discouraging me from being an actor, but I don't think so. I thought it was really great advice. And I have tried to do some writing. I've written for myself songs and sketches and stuff for my band, Tenacious D, and it helped me to find my voice as an actor. And that's what I always tell people who ask me, 'How do I become an actor like you?' I tell them to write their own ticket. Do your own movies and things. Don't wait around to be a puppet in someone else's show. Make the show happen.

TeenHollywood: Good advice. There was a lot of emotion in Po's character. Were there moments when you really connected to the little guy?

Jack: I knew Dustin Hoffman was in the movie [as the voice of Master Shifu, a red panda] so I wanted to be absolutely method acting in my performance. I didn't want to be outshone by the master himself. I would connect like when Po was talking about the Furious Five and how much he idolized them and was really excited and I substituted, 'OK, what would I get that excited about? Radiohead my favorite rock n'roll band is going to be playing at the Wiltern. I have to go see them. They are going to be adding a new member of the band and maybe I can be in Radiohead!' And, y'know, things of that nature. Little 'What if?' exercises is what we like to call it.

TeenHollywood: Po is obsessed with Kung Fu. What was your childhood dream? Was it always acting? Was it music? Were you into martial arts?

Jack: I loved acting and I loved the arts in general. I also loved the martial arts. Yeah, I was crazy for improv games when I was a kid. Definitely wanted to master it.

TeenHollywood: People are blaming you for telling the world that Angelina Jolie is having twins. Can you talk about that?

Jack: The truth is I didn't tell the whole story. I held back. She's actually pregnant with triple...pandas. Which is great news for the panda population. We got three new pandas coming. Unfortunately it's really bad news for Brad Pitt. Because they are not his.

TeenHollywood: Ah, right. So are you and Angie still friends?

Jack: We are still friends. Good, good friends.

TeenHollywood: Can you talk about the day you were recording in the same room with Dustin Hoffman? What was that like?

Jack: Dusty and I worked together, and I can call him Dusty now, we've gotten to that point. It was great to work with him. It's fun to work together, but it's also really helpful to be able to just focus on your performance and to just explore all the different lines and joke angles you can take without the other actor there who is like, 'C'mon Jack, we're on hour number three on the same joke. I'm Dustin Hoffman, I have to move!' But, when we did get together, I was intimidated because I have been a huge fan of his for my whole life, it seems. And, um, it was cool to get tips from him. Acting tips and, yeah, he is the master for real.

TeenHollywood: Are you like Po who is nervous when he meets his Superheroes? Did you suck up?

Jack: Yeah, I was a suck up. I don't think I said anything too embarrassing. I think I actually clammed up a little bit. I got a little quiet. I think we have different approaches. I'm more of a stand up than a method actor. I think he definitely prefers to have another human being to bounce off of and have like, real human interaction. I'm fine with just doing it in a vacuum.

TeenHollywood: How much are you enjoying being a dad for a second time? You have a new son. Is it fun for you?

Jack: You just gotta make all the time precious that you have with the babies when you are working. Like right now? I should really be with my babies right now. But I'll get back. And you have an hour in the morning and an hour at night. And you really make the most of that time. Oh yeah, and hours in the middle of the night, oh, I have been up a few hours with him.

TeenHollywood: Did you do some panda research in order to play one?

Jack: Totally. I lived with pandas for three years before we even started recording, since I heard about the project. I eat bamboo. Bamboo and cheeseburgers. No, not really but I did actually take a summer of [acting] classes here in LA and I learned how to hold an imaginary cup of tea. And I still have it. He demonstrates as if holding a hot cup. Sense memory. 'Hot, hot, hot, hot.'

TeenHollywood: Is your older son able to watch this movie? And has he gotten a lot of toys?

Jack: Yes, Sammy has gotten toys but I screen the toys though. He's only 1-year-old. And a lot of toys come in and they say, '3 and above,' '4 and 5 and above' and I'll hold off on those. I keep those well hid in the attic. Take them down in a couple years. But, you don't want to take a little baby into a big, dark movie theater. That's in itself is an intense movie experience. Even though he's pretty intense already, but you have to keep things soft and sweet for a bit while longer.

TeenHollywood: Is he musical like you?

Jack: Yes, very musical. He's got great rhythm and loves to dance. I made him a dance mix on my iPod which I'm pretty proud of.

TeenHollywood: What's on it?

Jack: 'Groove is in the Heart' by Dee Lite. That's one of the nuggets. 'Dancing Queen' by Abba. What else is on there...'Surf Wax USA' by Weezer. Lots of good jams. A little Steve Wonder in there. The one that goes...[does a wacka wacka sound from the song] what is that? 'World keep on turnin' because it won't be too long...' 'Higher Ground' it's on the baby dance mix. I recommend it for anyone with babies.

TeenHollywood: Did you do any Kung Fu training to get in Po's mood?

Jack: Well, Eric Chen is a cool guy. My neck is still sore because I did a little session with him yesterday at a photo shoot. Making me do official Kung Fu poses.

TeenHollywood: What is Tenacious D up to lately?

Jack: Tenacious D is a live and well. We are going to do some festivals. Redding and Leeds in England, very famous. And we are going to be opening for Metallica. Just a little band you might have heard of, Metallica. (Laughs.) And probably do some benefits in LA when we get back from that in August.

TeenHollywood: Does it mean something special to be doing that?

Jack: We are very excited. Especially knowing one of the greatest live albums of all time in our opinion, is 'The Who Live at Leeds' and we will probably pay some sort of tribute to them. A medley of sorts. We are trying to do some new things that no one has seen. Catch people off guard a little bit, but it will be fun. To play in front of that many people, we've never really played that huge a crowd before. It will be like 50,000 people or something crazy like that or more. Whatever. My brain doesn't go above 50,000. (Laughs.)

TeenHollywood: Your next film out is Tropic Thunder and there's some controversy over Robert Downey Jr. appearing in black face. What's with that?

Jack: It's a spicy little character he's playing there. We're in a very politically correct climate right now and there are certain things that are taboo you can't do. I think when people see the film they will appreciate an incredible performance. And in the context of the film, I don't think it will be deemed racist or inflammatory at all, just a very funny and smart comedy.

TeenHollywood: What else have you done that we'll see eventually?

Jack: I did a movie with Harold Ramis at the helm called the Year One with the young and brilliant Michael Cera. I am the president of his fan club after working with him. So great. Smart and, yeah. I am jealous of his magic. 'What was I doing when I was 20? I did not have that kind of magic.' Special, special, kid.

TeenHollywood: What is that film about?

Jack: We are just two dudes wandering through biblical times, Zed and O. I play Zed and he plays O. We are in a primitive tribe and we wander out of our tribe to go on a quest for the meaning of life. And we see all the major players of the Old Testament. Pretty funny adventure movie.

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Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.