Jack Black is gearing up for his much-anticipated return to the Saturday Night Live stage after nearly two decades.
In an interview with Variety on Sunday, March 30, Black, 55, humorously shared his preparation process. “I’m just having a lot of nightmares, night terrors, and also some fond memories flooding back,” he said. “It’s crazy, very exciting.”
Black is set to host the NBC variety show on Saturday, April 5, marking his first time back since 2005. He called the upcoming appearance “cray cray,” adding that Elton John and Brandi Carlile will join as musical guests.
When asked about his sketches, Black admitted he didn’t know what to expect. “You know what they’re thinking about right now? They’re all in a dead coma from last night’s show,” he joked about the SNL cast and writers. “Maybe some of them are thinking of ideas, but I’m really thinking it’s one of those shows they put together in one week, and that’s part of the excitement.”
Black expressed his admiration for the current SNL cast, which includes Colin Jost, Chloe Fineman, and Marcello Hernandez. “I call them kids because I was on that show before some of them were born — except for Kenan [Thompson], we’re around the same age,” he added with a laugh.
Black’s last time hosting was on December 17, 2005, when he was promoting King Kong. This time, he’ll be promoting the upcoming A Minecraft Movie, which hits theaters on April 4. Directed by Jared Hess, the film is based on the popular video game and features Black as Steve, an expert crafter who teams up with a group of misfits, including Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Hansen.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Black shared his thoughts on the movie’s message. “What the world needs now is love, sweet love,” he said, referencing the 1965 hit song. “We’ve got to work together, my God. There’s so much violence and war and hatred. And that’s what I love about this movie — there’s a lot of love in it and a lot of creativity. There’s some anger and violence too, but in the end, it’s about friendship and working together to make the world a better place.”
He also praised the cast and director, saying, “Jared is such a force of creativity with such a unique perspective. The cast was amazing, top to bottom. You’ve got Jason Momoa, worth the price of admission; Danielle Brooks, who is fantastic; Emma Myers, she’s fantastic. And then there’s this new kid, [Sebastian Hansen], who is a genius. But then, wild card! You didn’t know you were going to get Jennifer Coolidge?”
