Jack Black falls victim to iconic Australian prank on Gold Coast Anaconda set

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Jack Black has revealed he fell victim to a very Australian prank while shooting his latest film.

Jack Black, known for his role in Kung Fu Panda, is currently in Australia filming a new version of the 1997 horror film, Anaconda, alongside Paul Rudd.

While promoting his new movie to News Corp this week, Jack shared that he received a warning about a specific Australian animal while filming in the Gold Coast’s inland areas.

He explained that his driver, Phil, had warned him about drop bears, describing them as similar to koalas but dangerous, as they attack by falling from trees.

Honestly, when Jack said “Oh, okay. Thanks for the heads up – I will,” I was so excited! I thought he was getting it, you know? But then…oh, the embarrassment! He actually asked about drop bears when he checked into his place on Tamborine Mountain. I just…I couldn’t believe it. It was mortifying, even for me, and I’m not even him!

Jack recounted asking a hotel employee, ‘Are we supposed to watch out for drop bears? I noticed a lot of tall eucalyptus trees around here.’

Jack explained, “Someone was teasing you – drop bears aren’t real!”

Jack said he immediately scolded the driver for the prank, but confessed he’d also considered playing the same trick on an unaware Australian tourist.

‘I was like: “You son of a b***h,”‘ he said. 

I ran into Phil the next day and told him there’s no such thing as drop bears. He laughed hysterically.

‘I’m a sucker for a drop bear and I have yet to get someone back. I want to pay it forward.’ 

Drop bears are legendary creatures from Australian folklore. Often described as a fearsome, meat-eating version of the koala, they’re frequently used as a playful way to frighten tourists.

 The original Anaconda movie starred Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Ice Cube and Jon Voight.

The upcoming film, featuring Paul Rudd, Thandiwe Newton, and Steve Zahn, centers around a group of friends navigating middle age who decide to recreate their beloved movie from when they were younger.

The film will hit Australian screens on Boxing Day. 

It comes after Jack gave Australian paparazzi a taste of his Kung Fu Panda magic back in January.

Jack was relaxing on a Gold Coast beach, wearing colorful tie-dye and board shorts with a Tenacious D print, when a photographer from a tabloid newspaper came up to him.

The celebrated actor cleverly avoided the man and his camera by performing some action moves inspired by his popular films, Jumanji and Kung Fu Panda.

Funny video taken with a paparazzo’s Google Glass shows Black playfully fighting with him, throwing kicks and punches that narrowly miss his face.

As the actor danced around him, he made all of his own cartoonish sound effects for each attack.

Jack Black had to cancel the upcoming Tenacious D Australian tour in 2024 after his bandmate, Kyle Gass, made an inappropriate joke about the attempt on Donald Trump’s life.

The band paused all future projects in July after Black was surprised and upset by comments Kyle made during a performance in Sydney.

However, in August, he reassured fans, saying he still loved Tenacious D. He explained they just needed a break, which everyone needs sometimes, and promised they would return.

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2025-12-20 03:20