Jack Black Could Win An Oscar For Super Mario Bros?
Jack Black's performance of Peaches from The Super Mario Bros Movie is up for an Oscar.
Last week Jack Black turned heads by releasing an official music video for his hit song “Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which saw the star collaborating with Hip Hop director Cole Bennett. Now according to an exclusive write-up in Variety, the track has been made eligible for the Best Original Song category at the Oscars. Universal has confirmed the eligibility for the Super Mario Bros. Movie‘s original power ballad, perhaps joining the ranks of other comedic songs to take home the title, such as “Blame Canada” from South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut and “Everything Is Awesome” from The Lego Movie.
“Peaches” sees Jack Black’s Bowser sitting behind a piano, singing wistfully about his unrequited love for the Mushroom Kingdom’s monarch, Princess Peach, as portrayed in the film by Anya Taylor-Joy. The Oscar-worthy sequence contains several high-paced action scenes from earlier in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, set to a montage over the backdrop of Bowser’s crooning. The scene recontextualizes some moments from the film and brings one of the most popular fan theories to the big screen by confirming that Bowser had not been kidnapping Peach for decades in the games simply as a mustache-twirling villain but actually to display his love for her.
From the moment Jack Black was first cast as Bowser, fans were hoping for a bit of musical improvisation in the role. Jack Black notoriously shares a joy for silly musical numbers, often improvising songs and ballads in his film roles and performing on children’s instruments for a laugh during media appearances. Many fans may not have imagined that Jack Black would take home an Oscar for his work on The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Jack Black’s penchant for music even extends outside of his film career, as displayed by his improvisational comedy band Tenacious D with Kyle Gass, a side venture which earned the pair two Grammy awards for Best Metal Performance and Best Comedy Album. If Jack Black does go on to take home an Oscar for Best Original Song for his work on The Super Mario Bros. Movie, this will bring the School of Rock star halfway to an EGOT. EGOT is the highly prestigious term reserved for the lucky and talented few performers who have earned an Academy Award in each of the four categories, encompassing an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.
Viola Davis is the most recent performer to take on the title of EGOT winner after receiving a Grammy this past February, with artists and actors such as Eminem, Hugh Jackman, and Elton John all just one award away from joining the ranks. Jack Black has yet to win an Oscar for his many beloved film roles, despite racking up over 170 IMDb credits for his work in film and television. With “Peaches” becoming a certified earworm all around the world, it seems like The Super Mario Bros. Movie has a very real shot at taking home the award.
