Jack Black kung fu kicks into Cannes

It's the start of the Cannes Film Festival, the sun is high in the sky, the million-pound yachts are moored in the harbour, and there are cartoon pandas lining up on a pier to welcome Jack Black into town.

This is the big publicity launch for Kung Fu Panda, an animated tale of animals and martial arts.

Jack Black provides the voice for Po, the overweight panda, who should be following in his dad's footsteps and going into the noodle trade.

But when the evil snow leopard Tai Lung escapes from jail, Po is trained by Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman) to become an unlikely kung fu master.

It's a family flick but Jack is not sure his two-year-old would be ready for it: "It might freak him out, he'd be like 'Daddy is that you?'"

The School of Rock star says he's loving the extravagance of Cannes.

He added: "It's pretty decadent. Last night we had a Kung Fu Panda dinner and a dude came around with foie gras lollipops. It had fig juice on it.

"It was delicious but a bit of a guilty pleasure. I love the food, the people, the boats, the movies."

Sweaty

During the publicity stunt, the star's martial arts antics caught up with him as his brow started dripping.

But not to fear - his official perspiration assistant was on hand to dry his droplets.

Jack said: "I don't mind sweating, it's just the rest of the world that's sweataphobic."

There are also vocal appearances from Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan and Angelina Jolie - who's due in Cannes to promote her film Changeling, a 1920s thriller directed by Clint Eastwood.

Brad's other half is expecting twins, which Jack Black thinks is just typical.

He added: "The pregnant Angelina trumps all other movies."