The 15 Biggest Stars Of Jackass: Where Are They Now?
Matthew Martinez Quick Links
One franchise which dominated the majority of the 2000s was the Jackass franchise. Between the original show, its multiple spin-offs, and the movies, Jackass quickly became a surprise pop culture phenomenon and the show made stars out of many of its cast members. However, with every rise to stardom, there is a fall from grace.
As with any star at the height of their career, they eventually find themselves in a steady decline in popularity in their later years. There may not be a particular reason why a star's star may fade. Sometimes, it just happens with time. Nothing lasts forever, not even superstardom. A star, their fame, a popularity fad, movie, or tv show is never guaranteed to last forever and they are never guaranteed to be as popular tomorrow as they were yesterday. Some stars just fall off. It's safe to say that the same happened to the cast of Jackass. While "fall off" is a strong phrase, it isn't wrong or incorrect to say that Jackass as a brand—as well as its many affiliates—is not as prevalent in the media's eye as it used to be, and for that reason its former stars are not as heard as loudly in current conversations as they used to be. It does not mean that we just upped and forgot about them. It is just the opposite actually.
Many of these stars have either fallen out of the spotlight or, in some cases, walked away from it. Many fans are curious to know what happened to some of these stars. Many of us are wondering why they stepped out of their spotlight and more importantly, what they are all up to now. That is exactly what this list is for. Here is a list of the biggest stars of Jackass and what they have all been up to since the show ended.
15. Chris Pontius
Best remembered as the "Party Boy" of the Jackass cast and for co-hosting Wildboyz with Steve-O, Chris Pontius has lived a pretty low-key lifestyle away from the spotlight. Though he does appear in television and film occasionally, he does so rarely. Apart from participating in Jackass 3D in 2010, he had a small role in the Sofia Coppola directed Somewhere that same year, which served as his final film to date. His last appearances on television included a guest spot on the Odd Future-led Adult Swim sketch comedy series, Loiter Squad, and most recently a 2016 guest appearance on the 2016 comedy clip show, Ridiculousness. Outside of his acting work, he was married to Claire Nolan. The two separated from each other in 2009 and divorced in 2013. Since the last Jackass film ended, Chris Pontius has not been up to anything major in front of the camera and maybe that's for the best. After spending so many years pulling off death defying stunts, he deserves some rest away from the limelight, as do the rest of the cast.
14. Steve-O
Quite possibly the most outlandish member of the Jackass crew, Steve-O stood out among the cast thanks to his outlandish personality. The degree he earned at the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College came in handy on the set whenever he felt the need to showcase his wacky persona. Unfortunately, things eventually got to a point where Steve-O's unorthodox behavior grew self-destructive. In February 2008, he was escorted out of MTV Studios during a Jackass MTV 24 Hour Takeover live broadcast where Steve-O appeared inebriated and belligerent. The next month, after suspecting his friend was suicidal, Johnny Knoxville escorted Steve-O to a hospital where he was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold which was then extended to 14 days after an alleged suicide attempt. Later that summer, Steve-O pleaded guilty to cocaine possession and was placed in a treatment center, and later in another mental institution due to depression. Steve-O has since bounced back and is living a sober life. Though he continues to have minor run-ins with the law every once in awhile—most recently for climbing an LA construction crane in protest of SeaWorld—he seems much happier with his life as he lives out a career as a stand up comedian.
13. Brandon DiCamillo
As a founding member of the CKY Crew, Brandon DiCamillo often found his face plastered across just about all of the productions in the early to mid 2000s. This would include Jackass, Viva La Bam, and Bam's Unholy Union. While he hasn't done too much work in front of the camera since those productions closed up, he has taken part in a lot of musical endeavors. One of those endeavors include playing vocals for a parody band called Gnarkill which DiCamillo started in 2002 with Bam Margera and his younger brother, Jess Margera. DiCamillo also does his own solo freestyle rap work as well. He put out two freestyle albums in 2012 titled Brandon Dicamillo, Pizza Pasta Pizzelle 1 and Brandon Dicamillo, Pizza Pasta Pizzelle 2. DiCamillo's most glorified accomplishment in the past few years is snagging a world record for the highest score for the arcade version of Mortal Kombat in 2008. However, his score has since been beaten and he now has the 3rd highest score in the world.
12. Brandon Novak
Though viewers will best recognize the skateboarder from his stint on Bam Margera's Viva La Bam spin-off, Brandon Novak made occasional appearances in a few Jackass films. In 2008, Novak and CKY filmographer, Joseph Frantz, wrote a critically acclaimed book about his struggles with heroin called Dreamseller. Novak has struggled with staying clean from his addiction for many years now. After being sober from 2003 to 2007, Novak entered a rehab clinic following a relapse. After his time there was over, Novak admitted that he continued to drink and get high off cocaine and pain medication. After another relapse in April 2007—possibly after being prescribed pain meds following a stunt gone bad on Bam’s Unholy Union where he injured his ankle—he checked himself back into rehab. After a couple years of getting on and off drugs and an attempted suicide attempt, Novak was arrested in 2010 for trying to pass a fake prescription for Xanax at Walgreens. Initially, after a stay at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility for the first 30 weeks, he was allowed to spend his remaining sentence on house arrest, but after admitting on Bam's radio show that he used a cellmate's urine to pass a drug test, the judge revoked his house arrest and sentenced him to 10 months in jail. When released in 2011, Novak continued to struggle with drugs and was subsequently homeless for years until he had one last successful stint in a treatment facility in 2015. Novak claims he's been sober ever since. Novak wrote a follow-up book to Dreamseller chronicling his most recent struggles with drug addiction. Though it is yet to be released, Novak announced in September 2016 that it will be published in the near future.
11. Rick Kosick
Along with participating in stunts for the show and all 3 Jackass movies, Rick Kosick has also worked behind the scenes for both the shows and movies. He worked as a crew member. After meeting one of the creators of Jackass, Jeff Tremaine, after working together as editors for Big Brother, Tremaine brought Kosick along when he started production for his new show. From the very beginning, Kosick worked as a cinematographer and lead camera operator for the show and eventually the movies. Often in both the shows and the movies, the cast of Jackass would sway Kosick into helping them for what Kosick always expected to be for a future stunt, only to be caught in a ruse where the cast pranked him. After Jackass wrapped up, Kosick continued to do camera work for an array of reality series, most recently for MTV’s Ridiculousness, Tremaine’s Swerved, and Viceland’s King of the Road.
10. Ehren McGhehey
Just before joining the Jackass crew, Ehren McGhehey had just retired from snowboarding following a career-threatening injury and started working at a skate shop. While filming a few small scale stunts, Jeff Tremaine happened to see him in action and was so impressed that he invited McGhehey to join the cast of his upcoming series, Jackass. McGhehey accepted and has been a mainstay of the cast for the films and show ever since. Although, McGhehey hasn't participated in any major production outside of the Jackass material. He did appear as a guest on the tv shows Ridiculousness, Portlandia, and most recently in the 2016 hit NBC series Grimm, in the last couple years, but other than that, McGhehey hasn't spent too much time in front of the camera since Jackass last wrapped up. He has, however, kept himself busy outside of television and movie work. In 2005, he opened up his own Danger Valley Skate Shop in Oregon which recently closed shop. He also judged a comedy show at the Helium Comedy Club in Portland a couple years back.
9. Jeff Tremaine & Spike Jonze
Though they never took part in any of the infamous Jackass stunts, fans should know exactly who these two are. Not only because they did make sporadic appearances on the show, but because Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze respectively directed and produced many episodes. Along with Johnny Knoxville (more on him later), Tremaine and Jonze are credited with being the creators of Jackass. If not for these two creative minds, you wouldn't have seen a bunch of logheads risk their lives and punching each other in the nuts. If you're into that sort of thing, you owe them some huge thanks. Since the franchise ran its course, the two have maintained relevance in the backstage filmmaking world. For Jonze, he's continued a prolific movie directing career that includes an Oscar win for writing Her. Tremaine has worked behind the scenes of numerous television reality series, most notably a Jackass-esque wrestling prank show called Swerved on the WWE Network.
8. April & Phil Margera
In the Jackass films and shows, Phil and April Margera always found themselves wrapped into one of their son's hair-brained pranks in one way or another. The two were so entertaining to watch that they co-starred with their son on his spin-off show, Viva La Bam, where the two grew even more popular. Especially April Margera, whose reactions to seeing Bam and his friends wreck her house on a weekly basis was a consistent highlight for the series. April and Phil's fans will be glad to know that after all of these years, the two are still happily married and continue to live a quiet life for the most part. The two are currently set to take part in a 2017 documentary about Telly "Leatherface" Blackwood's battle with obesity titled The Fast Food King. April started running her own furniture store called The Rose Hip Barn in 2011. Most recently, April appeared alongside Bam on Family Therapy with Dr. Jen to discuss her son's alcoholism.
7. Chris Raab
Chris Raab, best known by his stage name of Raab, has appeared numerous times in Jackass related media and its many spin-offs. After spending several years as one of the original members of the CKY Crew with fellow Jackass cast-mates Bam Margera, Brandon DiCamillo, and Ryan Dunn, Raab left the crew in 2006 shortly after Viva La Bam wrapped its final episodes. Raab's departure was over an unknown dispute with Bam Margera, though the two did appear together for MTV's "A Tribute to Ryan Dunn" special in 2011. Whether the two actually reconciled or if they only reunited for the sake of Dunn's memory is unknown. Since then, Raab wrote, directed, and produced two films called Hotdog Casserole and Borrowed Happiness. Raab himself actually starred in Borrowed Happiness. Raab last appeared in a film called Booted. According to IMDB, the film was completed, but is yet to be released.
6. Dave England
After retiring from his snowboarding career after suffering a career ending injury—an injury which avid Jackass viewers will know left him with a single testicle—Dave England eventually found his way to the cast of Jackass where he'd become one of the more noteworthy members of the cast. The reason being that whenever a stunt involved feces, England was quick to eagerly agree to participate. His eagerness made him a memorable member of the cast in the eyes of the fans as well as the go-to guy among the cast and crew to do something related to feces on the set. Though he rarely appears in films and tv shows nowadays, England has focused mostly on being a family man. England has two children from his ex-wife and two more children from his current wife. The last time we saw England in front of the camera was for a 2016 film called The Bet and a guest spot on the show Ridiculousness that aired the same year.
5. Preston Lacy
Another Jackass favorite is Preston Lacy, who is most notable for his public street stints where he found himself being chased by Wee Man. Lacy came a long way from working in commercials and as a truck driver. He successfully took part in a casting call for Jackass that called for him to eat four bananas without taking off the peels and hasn't looked back since. When he wasn't playing a part in outrageous stunts, he was mapping them out on paper as Lacy contributed various ideas and stunt concepts to the show. Straight off of launching himself into superstardom, Lacy found himself playing a small role in the 2003 skateboarding film Grind alongside several other members of the Jackass crew. Other than that, Lacy's on-screen appearances have been constricted mostly to Jackass related media. He, however, has had a few writing credits under his belt over the years as well as some voice work. In 2010, Lacy was arrested for marijuana possession and was charged with 2 misdemeanors.
4. Wee Man
Despite being the smallest man in the bunch, Jason "Wee Man" Acuña played a big role in the success of Jackass. Some of the most fondly remembered stunts from both the show and the movies usually involved Wee Man in one way or another. As most of his fans know by now, Wee Man moonlighted as a skateboarder when he was away from the Jackass set, but some may not know that he has also spent some time hosting the Fox Sports skateboarding show, 54321. Outside of a few Jackass related appearances, Wee Man has not done much in front of the camera. He did star in his own holiday family comedy, Elf-Man, but that went straight to DVD shelves way back in 2012. For the most part, Wee Man has dedicated his time towards running his very own franchise store of the Chronic Tacos restaurant chain in California.
3. Ryan Dunn
This one is going to be a tough one to talk about for obvious reasons. Prior to Jackass fame, Ryan Dunn grew his notoriety as a member of the CKY Crew, which he participated in with longtime friend, Bam Margera. Together they took part in homemade video stunts that were reminiscent of the many Jackass stunts they would become famous for. After Jackass made Dunn a household name, he found success on his own as a host for the shows Proving Ground and Homewrecker as well as acting stints such as a guest spot on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. On June 20th, 2011, Ryan Dunn died alongside passenger and friend, Zachary Hartwell, in a drunk driving incident. He is remembered fondly by friends, family, and fans as the go-to-guy on the Jackass set who was always willing to do the most dangerous stunts that no one else was willing to do no matter the risk that came with them. The film Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa is dedicated to Dunn's memory. In death, he leaves behind a widowed wife of 9 years, Angie Cuturic.
2. Bam Margera
One of the viewer's favorite members of the Jackass cast was Bam Margera. His popularity grew large enough that Margera earned himself his own spin-offs with Viva La Bam and Bam's Unholy Union. The latter chronicled his impending marriage to childhood friend Missy Rothstein. He also wrote, directed, produced, and starred in his own films: Haggard, Minghags, and Where the ♯$&% Is Santa?. Despite all of this success, Margera suffered an unfortunate downfall over the last few years. In July 2009, Margera was hospitalized after a 4-day alcohol binge and in 2012 divorced from Missy, though he would marry Nicole Boyd the following year. After taking part in a chaotic brawl in Iceland that left Bam knocked unconsciousness, his mother, April, called the producers of VH1's Family Therapy with Dr. Jen to stage an intervention session. The two appeared on an episode which aired in 2016. Following the session, Bam Margera swore to give up alcohol.
1. Johnny Knoxville
Johnny Knoxville rose to prominence in the early 2000s when he co-created and starred in the Jackass series and its many spin-off films. Knoxville capitalized on his television success by taking up several lead roles in movies like Walking Tall, The Ringer, and The Last Stand. Alongside fellow Jackass creators, Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze, Knoxville owns a production company called Dickhouse Productions, which has produced a number of documentaries including The Birth of Big Air and The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia. In 2014, Knoxville created another production company of his own titled Hello Junior, which works as an extension of Knoxville's longstanding relationship with Paramount Pictures. In his personal life, Knoxville married his 2nd wife in 2010 after divorcing from his 1st wife in 2006 (around the time Jackass Number Two was released). As of now, he is happily married with 3 children, 2 from his current wife.
Sources:en.wikipedia.org
