| For other uses, see Jack (disambiguation) |
- "Uncle Jack?"
"Jackie boy! How's it going?"
"Can't complain, really. You?"
"I've been waiting all morning here for a beating. But the service is terrible." - ―Jack Sparrow and Uncle Jack
Jack, better known as Uncle Jack, was a pirate in the Caribbean active in the Age of Piracy. Not much is known of Jack other than that he was the uncle and namesake of the scalawag pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. Around 1751, the aged buccaneer was imprisoned at the island of Saint Martin.
Biography[]
- "Did I ever tell you about the skeleton?"
"Yes, you have. Many times."
"Skeleton goes into a bar, orders a beer, and a mop."
"Funny as ever." - ―Jack and Jack Sparrow
Not much is known about Jack's life other than he was a pirate and buccaneer closely associated to Captain Teague,[6] Keeper of the Pirate Code,[7] and a member of an infamous family of outlaws.[8] One day Teague became a father, and his baby boy was named after Jack.[9][1] Most of Jack's life is shrouded in mystery, but it is known that he spent at least some time with his young nephew, often telling him a joke about the skeleton in a bar and calling him "Jackie boy" like his father did.[2]
Many years later, when the aged buccaneer was considered long-lost by his nephew,[5] Jack was arrested in unknown circumstances by the colonial authorities in Saint Martin and sentenced to some form of corporal punishment. Unbeknownst to Jack, his nephew, now a grown up and an infamous pirate known as Captain Jack Sparrow, was also arrested at Saint Martin prison. While Jack was playing poker with two other prisoners in his cell, philosophically awaiting his punishment, his nephew overheard him singing Maggie Mae as he was escorted by two soldiers through the corridor, mistaking the singing pirate for his father Teague, only for him to see his uncle Jack turn around.[2]
Jack and his nephew reunite in St. Martin prison.
Recognizing each other, Jack Sparrow and Uncle Jack had a brief conversation about Captain Salazar's vengeance on pirates, with the older pirate warning his nephew to stay on dry land as the oceans have turned to blood. When Sparrow replied that the land wasn't safe either because he was just about to be executed, Jack admitted that his nephew had a point and told him an old joke about the skeleton in a bar. As one prisoner in a neighboring cell laughed, Sparrow replied that the joke was funny as ever before the soldiers dragged him away for execution. Jack yelled after him that he should ask for Victor, in case his executioners decide to disembowel him because Victor supposedly had the softest hands. He also told Sparrow to mention his name so the executioners wouldn't cut off his feet.[2] His further fate is unknown.
Behind the scenes[]
- "For some reason, I started telling Johnny about my Liverpool relatives, especially my Uncle Jack, who had this great, gravelly voice and was the family joke-teller, who used to give us kids a half-crown, so we loved him. Johnny said, 'Well, you could do that!' So last night, before we filmed, Johnny and I had a little meeting, a bit to eat and a little wine, and kicked it around. Johnny came up with a load of ideas, I spun off it, and here we are."
- ―Paul McCartney
- Uncle Jack was portrayed by Sir Paul McCartney in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
- The character was named after Paul McCartney's own uncle, John "Jack" McCartney.[10][1]
- According to the Dead Men Tell No Tales directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, Paul McCartney's character Uncle Jack takes the role that would have been filled by Keith Richards as Captain Jack Sparrow's father Captain Teague. However, when Richards was unavailable, reportedly because of scheduling issues, the directing duo brainstormed with Johnny Depp, believing they should "honour the tradition of showing a Jack Sparrow family member." Depp texted Paul McCartney, who agreed to appear in the film.[11] But due to his demanding schedule during the main shoot of the film in Australia, McCartney wasn't free to make it happen until the Vancouver shoot.[12][13] Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson created an appropriate scene for Depp and McCartney, to which the duo then added their own very particular and personal spin.[1]
- Uncle Jack's joke "A skeleton walks into a bar, orders a beer and a mop" is a reference to a joke told by actor Al Pacino, who previously worked with Johnny Depp in the 1997 film Donnie Brasco. During filming, Pacino told the same joke to Depp repeatedly.[12][13]
- It is currently speculated that Uncle Jack is Teague's brother,[6] and as such, "Jack Teague" presumably the character's full name. However, this has still yet to be officially confirmed by any Pirates of the Caribbean media thus far.
Appearances[]
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Novelization (First appearance)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 POTC5 Presskit
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
- ↑ Estimation based on Sir Paul McCartney's age during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and the fact that DMTNT takes place in 1751.
- ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Novelization, p. 105
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Disney Pirates: The Definitive Collector's Anthology, p. 109
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Directors Talk Paul McCartney Cameo - Rolling Stone - Archived
- ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- ↑ Jack Sparrow: Sins of the Father
- ↑ Disney Pirates: The Definitive Collector's Anthology, p. 131
- ↑ Disney Pirates: The Definitive Collector's Anthology, p. 132
- ↑ Sir Paul McCartney replaced Keith Richards in Pirates at The List - Archived
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Pirates of the Caribbean 5: Paul McCartney role explained - Entertainment Weekly - Archived
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Paul McCartney went too pirate for 'Pirates of the Caribbean' - USA Today - Archived