Jack Black has been knocking around Hollywood for over ten years, taking bit parts in films from Bob Roberts and Demolition Man, to Dead Man Walking and Enemy Of The State. It wasn't until his high-energy turn in High Fidelity that studios finally woke up to his comic talents, and he subsequently landed the title role in the Farrelly brothers' laffer Shallow Hal. He may have played it lower key in Orange County, but now he's rocking out in grand style in Richard Linklater comedy School Of Rock.

They say never work with children or animals...

Well, I wanted to do a kids' TV show before this movie came along. I'm kind of a kid. I have this crazy, high energy, ridiculousness that works with kids, you know. This role is a dream come true.

So what's Dewey's angle in the film?

He's this guy who's a frustrated rocker. He needs to pay the rent and he just pretends to be a substitute teacher just to make some cash. Then the problem is that he's the worst teacher in the universe! He knows nothing about reading, writing and arithmetic. All he knows about is rock, and he decides to teach the kids about rock and some fun stuff happens after that. He forms a rock band with the kids, but it's all a big secret.

Dewey is really a loser, isn't he?

Yeah, he's kind of a loser. I mean, he's like a lot of people that I know who have a lot of talent but can't break into the industry. Rock's a crazy competitive field.

Did Mike White write the script with you in mind?

Mike White called me and sold me this idea of a failed musician getting a job as a substitute teacher, but still searching for his niche in the world of rock. There are traps when you're making a kids' movie. You don't want it to end up being corny. But I knew that wasn't going to happen with Mike. He creates these twisted characters who are really interesting. And then Richard Linklater came on board to direct, and I loved Dazed And Confused. I put Dazed And Confused up there with the great high school movies of all time. He has a method of rehearsing and getting everything going in a perfect machine, and those kids are so awesome. He picked great kids. They say 90% of directing is picking people - or casting, if you want to get technical.

What do you like most about School Of Rock?

I think it's for parents as much as the kids. It's saying that if kids want to explore their artistic sides, you've got to let them or else you're cheating them of some magic of what life's about.