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Johnny Knoxville on “heartbreaking” Bam Margera absence in new Jackass film

Margera is suing Knoxville and others after being fired from 'Jackass Forever' for alleged drug-taking

By Charlotte Krol

Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera
Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera. (Picture: Wikimedia commons/Gage Skidmore)

Johnny Knoxville has opened up about Bam Margera’s absence from ‘Jackass Forever’, the first ‘Jackass’ film in nearly a decade.

While Margera is credited with performing one stunt in the fifth ‘Jackass’ movie instalment – captured before the COVID-19 pandemic halted production in March 2020 – he wasn’t asked back in the autumn when filming resumed. Allegedly, Margera was fired from the project due to testing positive for the drug Adderall.

Margera is now suing Paramount as well as ‘Jackass’ co-creators Knoxville and Jeff Tremaine, claiming that he was wrongfully fired from the movie. He alleges that he endured “psychological torture in the form of a sham Wellness Agreement”.

Variety reports that Paramount declined to comment to its request about Margera’s lawsuit.

The publication spoke to Knoxville about Margera’s firing. “We wanted him all throughout the movie, but unfortunately that’s not the way it worked out,” Knoxville said of Margera.

“It’s really heartbreaking. I love Bam. We all love Bam. He’s our brother, you know? You just hope that he takes it upon himself to get the help that he needs, because we all care about him a lot,” he said.

Asked if he was surprised by the lawsuit, Knoxville said: “Yes and no. Because he’s in such a way that anything’s possible. So, something will break your heart – but it might not shock you.”

Margera has claimed that the “Wellness Agreement” he signed, which he alleges he didn’t have time to run past a lawyer, forced him into taking prescription drugs and subjected him to weekly drug and alcohol tests.

The stunt performer was taken to rehab by Florida police in September, the Daily Mail reports. In a Instagram videos Margera has urged fans to boycott the new ‘Jackass’ film and broken down in tears about claims of mistreatment.

‘Jackass’ started as an MTV reality comedy series in 2000 and featured Knoxville, Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Ryan Dunn, Ehren McGhehey, Preston Lacy and Jason ‘Wee Man’ Acuna performing a variety of wild and dangerous stunts.

In addition to its three seasons there have been four films to date: 2002’s ‘Jackass: The Movie’, 2006’s ‘Jackass Number Two’, 2010’s ‘Jackass 3D’ and 2013’s ‘Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa’.

‘Jackass Forever’ is released on February 4.