Jack Black celebrated Father’s Day with his dad who some fans mistook for his twin. The Kung Fu Panda actor shared a sweet photo with his father, Thomas William Black, on Instagram and fans couldn’t get over just how much they resembled each other.
Jack, 56, posed for a photo with his dad after enjoying a meal. He wore a gray graphic t-shirt with his signature beard, while his dad wore a yellow long-sleeved button up and a newsboy cap. In the caption he wrote: “Retired aerospace engineer. Farmer. Folk dancer. Geezer hike enthusiast. That’s my dad. Happy Father’s Day. Love you pops!”
Aside from noticing their similarities, fans also remembered how smart Jack’s dad really is. “Sorry I never knew that you were the product son of geniuses until the other day. It shines on you brighter now. thanks to your parents!” one person wrote. Another person commented: “Dude came from very accomplished parents.”
Jack Black and his dad have a lot in common
More than just similar genes, Jack and Thomas have a lot in common. The School of Rock actor was born Thomas Jacob Black on August 28, 1969. “I was always Black but I was not always Jack,” he explained during a 2009 interview on The Howard Stern Show. “My legal name is Thomas Jacob Black. Jack was my nickname, my dad and mom called me Jack.”
He continued: “There was history behind it. My dad’s dad was Thomas and his [dad’s name was Thomas]. And it goes back to, like, the ancient Ireland blacksmiths. There was a Thomas Black.”
© Getty Images“They knew I was Jack, and I resented it, and so I was like, I just am Jack,” he added.
But, the actor carried on the legacy when in 2006, he named his young son Thomas. During his 2009 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Jack explained the decision.
“I felt the pressure and I named my son Thomas,” the actor noted. “When push came to shove I couldn’t break the chain. I call him Tommy. Tommy’s also my favorite album. The Who’s Tommy.”
© WireImageJack’s impressive father
Before he was known for raising the famous actor, Thomas was an aerospace engineer who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope. While Thomas and Jack’s mom, Judith, divorced in 1979, they were both supremely proud of their son’s achievements.
Jack told The Guardian in 2011: “My parents were very supportive of me and my artistic endeavors. My father and mother came to every school play I ever did. When I was 13, I talked my stepfather into driving me to auditions.”
© InstagramThomas regularly attends Jack’s big moments. In December 2019, he attended the premiere of Jumanji: The Next Level in Los Angeles with his son and his two grandsons.
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