What To Know About Jack Black's Wife, Tanya Haden

Jack Black is a man of many talents. His large and boisterous personality has translated well on the big screen in movies like "School of Rock" and the "Jumanji" series, while his voice has been immortalized as Po in the "Kung Fu Panda" animated films. As a substantial side gig, he also performs as one half of the musical duo Tenacious D. It makes sense, then, that his wife, Tanya Haden, is also a woman of many talents.

The couple first met in high school, but it wasn't necessarily love at first sight. "I didn't date Tanya or talk to her or anything in high school," he shared with Parade. "I was pretty shy. I just watched her from afar." Years later, though, the two met up, hit it off, dated, got pregnant, and got married, eloping in 2006. They've been together ever since.

While Black's career has put him firmly in the spotlight, Haden's creative track has been more subtle but no less creative. "She's a painter, an animator, a musician, a cellist, a puppeteer," the actor told LaunchLeft about his wife. "She's one of the ones where you can't nail her down. She's got art coming out of all of her pores."

With a degree in Fine Arts from California Institute of the Arts, where she majored in the ultra-creative-sounding experimental animation, Tanya Haden is well-versed in the world of art. Born in New York and raised in California, she's had a number of exhibitions in professional galleries, including one that involved elaborate Etch-A-Sketch drawings. In addition, she regularly shows off her paintings and other artistic endeavors on her Instagram account.

Haden, too, has been involved in music since she was born. Her grandfather was a songwriter, while her dad Charlie Haden was a well-known jazz bassist. Haden is a triplet, and she and her sisters, Petra and Rachel, have been singing together since childhood. As adults, the trio performs together as The Haden Triplets. Jack Black's wife admits, though, she sometimes has anxiety about their vocal gigs. "I really struggle with singing," she confessed to LaunchLeft. "It didn't come as naturally to me, so it was a little intimidating sometimes to sing with Rachel and Petra. I get really nervous." The mother of Black's two sons is also an accomplished cello player and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the pop group Silversun Pickups.

Black is incredibly impressed with his wife's talent and her musical legacy. "Even though I was already married to Tanya and we had kids, when I was invited to be on the Haden family album, I finally felt like I was truly part of the family," he told The San Diego Union-Tribune. 

The relationship between Jack Black and Tanya Haden has lasted for decades. Slow to start, the two first became aware of each other while attending Crossroads School, a private K-12 institution for the arts and sciences. "It took me years to build up the courage to talk to my wife," Black recalled to The Guardian. "I was afraid to ask her out until many years later. It was crazy that it took me so long. She was always in the back of my mind."

Black, whose parents are divorced, admitted he didn't think being married was a good idea until he met Haden. "Before Tanya, I had always felt like marriage was not for me," Black revealed to Parade. "I didn't like the way it worked out with my parents. I didn't ever want to be in a divorce, so I was never going to get married." Flash forward to 2020, and Black celebrated his 14th wedding anniversary with a tribute to Haden on Instagram. "Happy Anniversary my love... 14 years! You are my love," he declared. Haden has also shown affection for her spouse on social media on a special occasion, proclaiming, "Happy birthday m'love, I'm so happy you were born." 

As for what keeps the couple's marriage going, Black told Entertainment Tonight the secret to a lasting marriage. "Choose wisely. We were lucky to find each other. Who knows what the chemistry of love is? I don't know. I'm just stoked that we're still in love with each other."