Between takes

The Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle star talks life on set…

Jack Black talks crap. Yes, literally.

What’s generally the first thing you do when you get to set on a new film you’re shooting?

Oftentimes, I’ll have a first and second breakfast. Then hair, make-up, costume. Then I’ll study the lines, but not too much. I like to do my memorisation two or three nights before. That way, you memorise it, go to sleep, it cooks into your subconscious mind.

Do you have any on-set superstitions?

I’m not a superstitious person, but it bothers me when there’s a scene that’s played really well in rehearsal and then there’s a certain expectation. People are like, “Here it comes, the funniest moment in the film!” It’s like, “Will you please shut up? You’re jinxing it.”

Do you have a hot or a cold lunch?

Hot! [pause, then in a disdainful tone] Cold? I can’t imagine… what would be a delicious cold lunch? The salad bar? No!

Do you sleep on set?

I will grab a snooze if I need to. But you do have to be careful. I did a movie one time where if you took a nap the director would take a picture of you and sometimes make embarrassing-looking tableaus in the background of your snooze. That was Tony Scott.

What’s the most embarrassing moment you’ve ever had on a set?

I was on Nacho Libre in Mexico and

I got a little bit of ‘Montezuma’s revenge’. I had a little attack in the middle of a scene. I said, “Where’s the nearest restroom?” They said, “OK. If you just jump in a van, we’ll take you back to set, and that’s where the honey wagons are with the restrooms.” I just ran because I knew I wasn’t getting into a van. I just ran into a field nearby. But everyone from the crew could see me. There was no hiding. So basically I had to relieve myself in front of a crew of 72 people, with my trusty assistant handing me paper. It was very horrifying.

What’s the best set experience you’ve ever had?

The best sex experience?

Not sex. Set experience.

Oh, OK! I just did a few days on a Gus Van Sant movie [Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot]. It was just me and Joaquin Phoenix playing drunk, bar-hopping and capturing it all on film. In general, it’s those little indies that are the most gratifying because there’s no time to stress. I had fun on Jumanji, but it’s those little ones that you remember the most, because when you work fast it’s just a little more electrifying.

Dwayne Johnson famously called out some colleagues for being “candy asses” on another set. Were you a candy ass on

Jumanji?

I don’t know if he was serious in the first instance. I think he also called us candy asses, but it wasn’t nearly as publicised. It was like: what, are we chopped liver? Chopped candy ass? But there was no candy on any of our asses. Our asses were all extremely salty. With sweat. A little sweat and tears. JC

ETA | 20 DEcEmbEr / JumAnJi: WElcomE To ThE JunglE opEns This chrisTmAs.

‘I had to relIeve myself In front of 72 people, wIth my trusty assIstant handIng me paper’