Jack Black credits his wife Tanya Haden for sparking their relationship. On the August 5 episode of Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Black, 54, discussed how he and Haden—an accomplished musician and daughter of the late jazz musician Charlie Haden—reconnected years after first meeting in high school in Santa Monica, California.
“I was always in awe of them,” Black said, referring to Haden and her sisters, who performed music together during their high school years.
“We would cross paths, and at that time, I had a girlfriend, and she had a boyfriend, so our interactions were minimal. But then there came a time when neither of us was involved with anyone else.”
He added, “I had always felt somewhat intimidated and was never really inclined to make a move myself—she made the first move, which was pivotal.” Their romance began when they both attended a surprise birthday party for a mutual friend.
“She approached me and said, ‘Hey, do you ever want to go out for dinner? I should give you my number,'” Black recalled. “It was like heaven opened up above my head. This was the moment I had always dreamed of.”
Jack Black and Tanya Haden married in March 2006, just a year after they started dating, as Black noted on the podcast.
“We became very serious quickly, and the relationship accelerated rapidly,” Black shared with Shepard. “It felt like we were making up for lost time.”
The couple has two sons: Samuel, 18, and Thomas, 16. Reflecting on their quick marriage, Black mentioned that although he and Haden initially wanted children, they hadn’t planned on getting married right away—until his brother convinced him otherwise.
“We didn’t get married because we didn’t really believe in the institution and the need for a formal contract,” Black explained.
“But as soon as she was pregnant, my brother said, ‘What are you doing? You need to marry her!’ I realized he was right. I proposed, and she laughed and said yes.”
Although Black did not recall having romantic feelings for Haden during high school, he believes part of their relationship’s success stems from their long history.
“We didn’t date or really talk back then, but I remember her and her sisters. She’s a triplet. I loved their whole family and thought they had a great vibe.” Black’s new film, Borderlands, is set to be released in theaters on August 9.
