Johnny Knoxville's Career Booms
Hey, Jackass fans! Missing MTV's asinine stunt show? This April, you can look forward to a big reunion. Well, sort of. "We're done with Jackass," Johnny Knoxville tells TV Guide Online. "We let the movie be the exclamation point on that. But I just went to Indonesia for two weeks with Steve-O and Chris Pontius to film some episodes of their MTV show, Wildboyz. It was pretty low-pressure for me."
Despite his reckless rep, Knoxville — who shares daughter Madison with his fashion-designer wife, Melanie — says he has no "dirt" to dish for us. Or does he? "I have 142 illegitimate children on the way," he cracks. "They're all due next month, so I guess my wife will find out then. Eight months ago was a really big time for me." Very funny, Johnny.
Actually, the 33-year-old is too focused on his busy acting career to get in much trouble. Next up, he co-stars in the Walking Tall remake (opening today). Summing up the flick's premise, Knoxville shrugs: "The Rock carries around a huge stick."
That's it? "There's no message, man. It's just a big popcorn-action-revenge film," he laughs. "You just go on the ride and don't deconstruct it too much. I'm the Rock's sidekick. I'm the black sheep of the town who had a problem with drugs. I wasn't a bad guy, just a naughty guy. I help The Rock take back the town [from crooks], and he helps me redeem myself in the process."
That's not all Knoxville's up to in showbiz. "I shot a Farrelly Brothers comedy called The Ringer in Austin this past fall," he says. "I also did a John Waters film in Baltimore called A Dirty Shame. And I'm getting ready to produce a movie for Paramount that I'll be acting in. It's based on my idea about a turf war between two hot-dog vendors. Sheldon Turner — who wrote The Longest Yard for Adam Sandler — is writing that for me right now. Oh, I also took a small part in the movie Lords of Dogtown, directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen)."
Phew! That's quite a to-do list. Don't ask Knoxville why Hollywood's all up in his grill right now. "I'm just happy," this good-natured goof says. "Things are going good. So I'm trying to take advantage of that and I'm very appreciative."