Jack Black 'heartbroken' over death of 'School of Rock' star Kevin Clark

Clark played drummer Freddy "Spazzy McGee" Jones oppsite Black in the 2003 film.

Jack Black expressed his sadness and shared his condolences to the family of Kevin Clark following news of his death on Wednesday.

The actor took to Instagram to mourn the passing of his 32-year-old "School of Rock" co-star. He shared a throwback photo from their time together in the 2003 film and the other from a recent reunion.

"Devastating news. Kevin is gone. Way too soon. Beautiful soul. So many great memories. Heartbroken," Black wrote and added, "Sending love to his family and the whole School of Rock community."

RIP Kevin Clark, Freddy Jones. Thanks for helping Jack Black warm our hearts in the School Of Rock. pic.twitter.com/YnVIbC1i8Z
— MisAnthroPony (@MisAnthro_Pony) May 27, 2021

This scene was so powerful to me as a kid, he was a troublemaker kid in the beginning of the movie and then jack black came and gave him a purpose and sense of belonging with the band project and it made him enthusiastic about school, studying all the great drummers RIP https://t.co/okbSDDDjas
— Tino (@ElCatorceDiaz) May 27, 2021

Clark was riding his bike in Chicago's Avondale neighbourhood when he was struck by a Hyundai Sonata at a notoriously dangerous intersection on the Northwest Side. It happened at around 1:20 a.m. in the 2600 block of North Western Avenue, according to a police report obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Paramedics found him on Logan Boulevard and rushed him to Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where was pronounced dead at 2:04 a.m. The driver of the Hyundai, a 20-year-old woman, was not arrested but issued citations.

Clark's sister said he was riding his bike home at the time of the accident. His mother, Allison, said he was a "raw talent" and someone with "a heart of gold." She remembered he started playing drums at age three by "hitting pots and pans in the basement."

"School of Rock" was his first and last foray into acting, in which he was cast after he accompanied a friend to the auditions. "He just kind of shined. He took it on right away, but he never really acted afterward," his mother said.

Instead, he pursued his passion for playing drums and was part of the Chicago rock band Dreadwolf. He reunited with Black and the actor's Tenacious D partner Kyle Gass in 2018 when they watched the band play.

Clark has just started a new band that played live for the first time on the North Shore over the past weekend. A day prior to his death, he even told his bandmates that it "is finally the life" he wanted to live" and that they are "going to make it."