Jack Black admitted there is one film he regrets starring in that made him feel like a 'sell-out'

Jack Black has built a career on being one of Hollywood’s most lovable comedy stars, but even he has regrets when it comes to picking roles.

And there’s one film in particular that he apparently wishes he’d never signed up for.

Despite his legendary status as Dewey Finn in School of Rock and his voice work in Kung Fu Panda, among other notable roles, Black has admitted in the past that there is one movie in his filmography that makes him feel like a 'sell out'.

Jack Black is a well-loved Hollywood funny man (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)

The 2001 comedy Shallow Hal, directed by the Farrelly brothers, starred Black as Hal, a man who is hypnotised to only see people’s inner beauty - meaning he views his love interest, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, as conventionally slim despite her actually being plus-sized.

While the film attempted to push a message about valuing people beyond their appearance, its reliance on fatphobic jokes and stereotypes didn’t sit well with many viewers, or with Black himself.

“I had an opportunity to work with some dudes I thought were really funny, but it didn’t turn out as I’d hoped", Black admitted. He reflected on the movie in a 2006 interview and referred to writer-director duo Peter and Bobby Farrelly, the brains behind Dumb and Dumber.

"I wasn’t proud of it, and I got paid a lot of money, so, in retrospect, it feels like a sell-out”, he added.

Watch the trailer for the film below:

Black's co-star Paltrow also later expressed regret over the role. Speaking to The Guardian that same year, she revealed how uncomfortable she felt wearing the fat suit used for her character in certain scenes.

“The first day I tried the fat suit on, I was in the Tribeca Grand, and I walked through the lobby,” she said. “It was so sad. It was so disturbing. No one would make eye contact with me because I was obese. I felt humiliated. For some reason, the clothes they make for women that are overweight are horrible. I felt humiliated because people were really dismissive.”

The film is an uncomfortable watch, with Paltrow in a fat suit being the subject of countless fatphobic jokes (20th Century Studios)

Critics and audiences alike have pointed out that, while Shallow Hal attempted to push a positive message, it often leaned into the very stereotypes it was trying to challenge. The film frequently used Paltrow’s character’s weight as the punchline for jokes, like breaking chairs or creating massive ripples in a pool, undermining the idea of looking beyond appearances.

Over the years, Black has gone on to star in much more successful and well-loved films, from The Holiday to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, as well as The Super Mario Bros. Movie.