Jack Black wins 1st Emmy Award, delivers enthusiastic acceptance speech
Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on December 19, 2023
Jack Black won a Children and Family Emmy Award for outstanding voice performance in an animated program for Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight and gave an animated acceptance speech to go with it. It is his first Emmy win.
“Kung Fu Panda, the Dragon Knight!” he began as he did a few Kung Fu Panda poses like his character, Po, does in the film.
“Thank you, this — I’m really nervous and stoked to be here,” he continued before thanking the film’s executive producer, Peter Hastings, as well as the film’s creators and co-stars.
Black also thanked former Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg who Black acknowledged for giving him the “chance to play” Po 20 years ago.
“It’s been the role of a lifetime, I’ve had so much fun over the years,” he said.
The actor then looked at his phone to see if he had forgotten anyone on his list of people to thank. He ended his speech by thanking his wife.
“Oh my god I’m glad I looked at it,” he said. “The main person, my wife Tanya Haden. Hell yeah — dude, If I didn’t look I would have been that guy!”
“The true dragon warrior, Tanya Haden. I love you baby, this is for you,” he added before holding his Emmy in the air.
He first voiced the character of Po in 2008 with the release of Kung Fu Panda. He went on to play Po in two more Kung Fu Panda films, as well as the televisions series, The Paws of Destiny, The Dragon Knight and the short films: Secrets of the Furious Five, Secrets of the Masters, Secrets of the Scroll and Kung Fu Panda Holiday.
He will voice Po again in Kung Fu Panda 4.
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