Bam Margera was noticeably absent at the premiere of the finale Donkey movie, “Jackass: Best & Last.” However, her parents, Phil and April, were there to support the cast and crew. On the red carpet, the couple made a positive point about their son’s sobriety, while also addressing his long-standing breakup with key characters in the Jackass franchise.
Bam Margera skips ‘Jackass’ premiere
The chaotic cast and crew of Jackass attended the red carpet premiere of “Jackass: Best & Last” on June 24 in Los Angeles, but one cast member was not in attendance. As reported The explosionthe skateboarder received an invitation, but he wasn’t quite ready to face Johnny Knoxville and director Jeff Tremaine in such a public setting.
Her parents, Phil and April, attended the premiere and were seen hugging and talking with cast members. Entertainment tonight caught up with the couple on the red carpet and they gave an update on their son’s health. “He’s fantastic, and I knock on wood every day, but he’s fantastic,” Phil said, with April adding: “He’s doing really, really well.”
April shared that Bam took it “really hard” after Ryan Dunn’s death, and that Bam had been focusing on his health lately. Dunn, who was Bam’s close friend and part of the Jackass cast, died in a car accident in 2011.
Phil Margera guarantees wounds will heal
When asked if Bam had a message for the Jackass team, Phil replied that his son “is still really good friends with all the guys except…” before trailing off. Bam fell out with Knoxville and Tremaine after being let go during the filming of “Jackass Forever.”
However, Phil thinks the breakup won’t last. “He wants to reconcile with him, so it’s going to happen,” he said, without naming names. April said her son “wishes everyone well”, with Phil adding: “I guarantee you they’re going to make up and they’re going to be great together. They always have been, they always will be.”
Knoxville and Tremaine exchanged pleasantries with Phil and April, and when asked what the reunion was like for him, Knoxville said he was “choked up” upon seeing Bam’s parents. “After everything we’ve been through, I’m so happy they’re here…and I love them. I love Bam,” he said, becoming emotional again and wiping tears from his eyes.
Bam Margera filed a complaint which was later settled
During the production of “Jackass Forever”, Bam was fired for violating a welfare agreement in his contract. Due to his history of substance and alcohol use, his contract included conditions guaranteeing his sobriety during filming, including submitting to breathalyzer tests, urine tests, and taking his medications in front of a doctor.
In 2020, however, one of his tests came back positive for Adderall. His contract was terminated and he was removed from the film. Bam filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Knoxville, Tremaine, producer Spike Jonze and Paramount Pictures. Bam argued that he had been taking Adderall for years to manage his ADHD.
In 2022, Bam reached a private settlement with the other parties and dismissed the lawsuit.
Skateboarder had deal for new ‘Jackass’ movie
In an interview with CinemaBlend in 2025, Bam said he still feels resentment over his dismissal. “What they did to me, force me to go through treatment and pay for it, and then not put me in a movie, and, you know, I had to go to court over it. You couldn’t offer me enough money to want to do another ‘Jackass’ with them. The damage is done,” he explained.
Although Bam did not film any new stunts for “Jackass: Best & Last,” he signed a deal that allowed the production to use never-before-seen footage of him from the “Jackass” archives.
Since their argument, Knoxville has only expressed love for Bam, explaining that they had to “draw a hard line” to help him with his sobriety. In an interview with rolling stone in February, Knoxville said, “I heard he’s doing a lot better and that makes me happy, because we’ve been through so much together and I love him.”
Bam Margera is back on skateboarding
Bam Margera enjoying spaghetti and a chicken meatball with his mom and dad is the best thing on the internet pic.twitter.com/xePWCUgzfp
– Dudes post their Ws (@DudespostingWs) June 3, 2026
After years of legal issues and struggling with sobriety, Bam has made positive progress in his recovery. “I realized I don’t need to take medication: skateboarding is my medicine. As long as I do one trick a day, it keeps my sanity,” he said. Fox in 2025.
Bam has shared glimpses of his life on Instagram, posting photos with his family and skateboarding videos.
“If you have no passion for anything, then you lose your purpose. When you lose your purpose, you get bored, and then boredom leads to drugs and alcohol. I can’t be bored. I’m all busy relearning my skateboarding tricks,” Bam said.
