For their first major on-screen collaboration, comedy stars Jack Black and Paul Rudd turned up the volume on classic rock to find their rhythm. The duo, who headline the comedic reboot of the 1997 creature feature Anaconda, have revealed that their journey to the set was powered by the legendary riffs of bands like AC/DC and Led Zeppelin.
From Billy Joel to Bon Scott: The Soundtrack of a Collaboration
In a recent interview from Los Angeles, the actors shared the musical backdrop that defined their time filming the new movie, which was released in theatres on December 25, 2025. Black, who recently starred in A Minecraft Movie, noted a stark contrast in his preparation music between projects.
"I liked listening to Billy Joel while we were making that movie," Black told Postmedia, referencing his work as Steve in the video game adaptation. However, for Anaconda, a harder edge was required. The catalyst was their driver, a man known on Instagram as @rocknroll_phil.
"I had a great driver, Phil... and he was a real rocker," Black explained. "So it was a lot of classic rock. Led Zeppelin was every Tuesday." Paul Rudd specifically recalled the moment Phil introduced them to AC/DC's anthemic For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).
A Deep Dive into AC/DC's Catalogue
Black, a self-professed fan, didn't stop at the hits. He advocated for the band's earlier work with late singer Bon Scott. "If you’re a true-blue AC/DC fan, you go old school Bon Scott-era. My favourite one is Walk All Over You," he said, before spontaneously belting out the chorus from the 1979 Highway to Hell track.
He heaped praise on guitarist Angus Young, calling him a "genius" who has "come up with more riffs than probably anyone." This shared musical journey helped cement the camaraderie between Black and Rudd, who had only shared brief screen time before in 2007's Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.
"Simpatico" Spirits and a Long-Awaited Team-Up
Directed by Tom Gormican (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent), Anaconda follows lifelong friends Doug (Black) and Griff (Rudd), who reunite with childhood pals Kenny (Steve Zahn) and Claire (Thandiwe Newton) to remake their favourite snake horror film.
Both actors expressed mutual admiration. "I’ve been a fan of Jack’s since forever," Rudd stated. Black, in his trademark hyperbolic style, retorted, "I’ve been a fan of Paul’s since the beginning of time. Since before we were even born."
Black said their small scene together in Walk Hard—where they played Paul McCartney and John Lennon, respectively—convinced him they would work well together. "I knew we’d be simpatico," Black said, praising Rudd's ability to balance blockbuster comedy with an independent filmmaker's artistic spirit.
Preparing for Another Viral Moment
The actor is no stranger to creating internet memes, having gone viral earlier in 2025 for screaming "chicken jockey!" in A Minecraft Movie. He may have set himself up for another with Anaconda, which features a hilariously desperate scene where his character, Doug, is bitten by a spider and pleads for a friend to urinate on the wound.
"Whizz on me!" Doug screams in the film. When asked if he's ready for "whizz on me!" to become the new "chicken jockey!," Black leaned into the bit. "'Chicken jockey!' was a moment... But 'whizz on me!' is so intimate and it’s so wrong," he joked, adding with faux seriousness, "Scientifically, we know this to be true. Urine is the only real antidote in the jungle for a spider bite."
With a foundation built on classic rock and shared comedic timing, Black and Rudd's long-awaited partnership in Anaconda promises to deliver both laughs and a killer soundtrack.
