Maya Rudolph Reveals To Drew Barrymore That Jack Black Was Her High School Improv Coach: “He Was The Most Inspiring”

Maya Rudolph revealed on this morning’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show that she and another comedy great go way back. During an intimate chat with host Drew Barrymore, Rudolph spilled about her friendship with Jack Black, which began when the two were teenagers.

Drew asked her guest, “It is true you went to school with Jack Black?”

Rudolph replied, “Yeah, high school. He was two years older than me and he transferred in 10th grade and I was in 8th.”

Black and Rudolph both attended Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences, where he graduated in 1990 and she graduated in 1987. The school is known for its impressive alumni, which also includeGwyneth Paltrow,  Zooey Deschanel and Kate Hudson, among others.

Rudolph explained that she and Black became friends through drama class when her teacher paired them up.

“My drama teacher … put us together, and he was my improv coach for an improv competition we did, and he got me into the improv class and he took me to my first Groundlings show,” she said, referring to the famous Los Angeles comedy troupe that she later joined.

Rudolph continued, “Groundlings Theater, which is where I ended up. So he took me to see my first Groundlings show when I was 14. Isn’t that cool?”

As the audience applauded, Barrymore told her guest, “I would’ve never guessed that we can thank Jack Black for Maya Rudolph.”

Rudolph replied, “I mean, honestly, yeah. Honestly, kind of. He was the most inspiring. First of all, you have to understand something about Jack: Jack has been the same person since the day I met him. The exact same person. He’s just that guy. He’s just special.”

The Drew Barrymore Show airs on weekdays on CBS. You can check the website for local airtimes.