Jack Black Is Devastated Over The Death Of His School Of Rock Castmate

Fan-favorite movie, "School of Rock," is mourning one of their own following the tragic news of actor Kevin Clark, better known by his character's name, "Freddy Jones," and his untimely death. Known for costarring alongside Jack Black and playing the part of the back-talking drummer, aka "Spazzy McGee," in the 2003 film, Clark died on May 26 at the age of 32 after colliding with a motorist while riding his bicycle in Chicago, per Us Weekly. According to the outlet, the musician was taken to a nearby hospital following the accident where he was later pronounced dead. The Cook County Medical Examiner ruled his cause of death as blunt force injury caused by the collision.

Clark's death has struck a chord with millions around the world who grew up watching the beloved movie, which later came to Broadway in 2015 over 10 years after the film's debut. Although "School of Rock" is Clark's only acting credit, he continued his career as a drummer into adulthood and had recently formed a new band, which performed live for the first time just days before his death. "He told his bandmates just yesterday: You know, this is finally the life I want to live. And we're going to make it. You're my musical family — my family — and we're all going to make it," his mother, Allison Clark, told the Chicago Sun-Times following the tragic news. Keep scrolling to see what Jack Black had to say in the wake of his former costar's death.

Although it's been a while since Jack Black and Kevin Clark shared the big screen, the movie star was clearly emotional after learning of the drummer's untimely death. "Devastating news. Kevin is gone. Way too soon," Black wrote via Instagram with photos of the two on-set and reconnecting later in life. "Beautiful soul. So many great memories. Heartbroken. Sending love to his family and the whole 'School of Rock' community," he added hours after the news on May 26.

It appears the two shared quite the bond off-camera, and in fact, Black was one of Clark's greatest role models. "For my eighth-grade social studies class, I had to interview somebody I admired," Clark recalled of his favorite memory with the actor for the cast's 10-year reunion in 2013 in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "So I asked Jack, 'Hey, can we do an interview?' and he was like, 'Yeah, come by my trailer.' So I go in there and he's playing Xbox BMX XXX and I sat there and he gave me a classic interview," Clark shared, adding, "He's my hero." Thanks to the "School of Rock," Clark's memory will live on forever at Horace Green prep and in the hearts of young rock lovers everywhere.