People are only just realizing that Jack Black’s real name is not Jack Black

Jack Black is a man who most people absolutely adore… but did you know that Jack Black isn’t his real name?

Jack has done a number of incredible movies, including School of Rock, Tropic Thunder, Jumanji, and Tropic Thunder.

The Tenacious D musician is often seen as one of the nice guys in Hollywood, and his carefree, hilarious antics back up that perception.

Given that he has one of the most memorable names in showbiz, it’s taken some people by surprise that his birth name isn’t actually Jack Black.

Jack Black is a fan-favourite in Hollywood. Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty

According to Empire Online, Jack was born in 1969 in Santi Monica, California to Judith Love Cohen & Thomas William Black.

But who are Jack’s parents?

Both Judith and Thomas played pivotal roles in the aerospace sector, contributing significantly to projects like the Hubble Space Telescope.

Judith, in particular, etched her name in history when she played a crucial role in assisting Apollo 13’s safe return to Earth in 1970 after an oxygen tank ruptured, per PEOPLE.

Jack Black with his dad. Credit: Albert L. Ortega/Getty

The birth name they gave their son is Thomas Jacob Black.

It turns out that not many people knew that Jack Black is not, in fact, the actor’s birth name.

Despite their divorce when Jack was just 10 years old, both parents continued to support him in his career. Even after Judith’s passing in 2016, Thomas remains a pillar of support, often appearing alongside his son and grandchildren at movie premieres.

Reflecting on his upbringing, Jack told The Guardian in 2011: “I had a good childhood.” He highlighted how his parents were present at all his school plays, emphasizing the positive impact they had on his life.

Both were aerospace engineers, with Judith’s contributions extending to pivotal projects like the guidance computer for the Minuteman missile and the Abort-Guidance System (AGS) in the Apollo Lunar Module.

Judith had a passion for dancing, having been a ballet dancer in the Corps de Ballet of the New York Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company at a young age.

Jack Black’s birth name is Thomas. Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty

Although she put dancing on hold for her engineering career, she resumed folk dancing in 1964 as a lifelong hobby.

Judith’s post-engineering life was equally inspiring. She retired in 1990 and, along with her third husband David, founded a publishing company aimed at encouraging girls to pursue science.

Judith passed away in 2016 at the age of 82, leaving behind a legacy of achievements in both engineering and publishing.

Jack has continued to pay tribute to his mother on social media, underscoring her dual roles as a “bad-ass aerospace engineer” and a “loving mother.”

What an incredible family!