Highlights
- Johnny Knoxville's determination for success led to a breakthrough after years of hard work and persistence in the entertainment industry.
- A single idea for a show with friends turned Knoxville into a household name, as the star of the iconic series Jackass.
- From stunts to acting, Knoxville's versatility and dedication to his craft have helped him achieve an estimated net worth of $50 million today.
In 1989, a handsome young man named Philip John Clapp, then 18, moved to California from Knoxville. His dream was simple: he wanted to become an actor.
But soon, reality sunk in for him — he would have to work much harder to stand out and become a mainstream actor.
Johnny Knoxville accepted this challenge and began to accept roles as an extra to get out there, and while doing so, he sought a breakthrough.
Eight long years passed, but Knoxville had no luck — he endeavored to knock on every door, and wrote and pitched articles to nearly every magazine, in a serious effort to show the entertainment industry what he was capable of.
A young man who dreamed of becoming an actor when he was a teen finally got his chance at the age of 27, with skateboarding magazine Big Brother's video "Number Two," in which he tested skateboards as a stuntman.
With that, Knoxville's journey as a youthful extra ended, and a new stuntman emerged — but still, fame was a few years ahead on the horizon.
Today, let’s look at Johnny Knoxville's net worth, how he changed his fate with one idea, how he became a massively popular personality in entertainment, and how Knoxville built a massive fortune.
Skateboarding Is Not A Crime!Tony Hawk's Net Worth: How 'The Birdman' Made Millions Skateboarding
Tony Hawk's net worth has kickflipped to an estimated $140 million throughout his three-decade skating career. Here's how.One 'Jackass' Idea Changed Johnny Knoxville's Whole Life
After 13 years of toiling in the entertainment industry, Johnny Knoxville still hadn't managed to land a single, short role in a major movie.
Knoxville was swimming in a sea of anonymity, but a lifeboat – in the form of a life-changing idea – would soon emerge to carry him to the shores of success.
Jeff Tremaine was a notable editor for the influential skateboarding magazine Big Brother — and he was the person who liked Johnny Knoxville's skateboard testing idea, and featured him in an uncredited role in Big Brother's "Number Two" video in 1998.
After a year went by, Knoxville once again sought out Tremaine with an idea. This time around, Johnny would strike gold.
Along with Spike Jonze, Knoxville and Tremaine developed something new, a show instantly recognizable to a generation of MTV viewers — the infamous and controversial series Jackass.
Jackass was a reality comedy series, based on the crazy stunts and mischief of nine friends: Bam Margera, the late Ryan Dunn, Steve-O, Jason "Wee Man" Acuña, Dave England, Ehren McGhehey, Chris Pontius, Preston Lacy, and their de facto leader, Johnny Knoxville:
The Jackass crew conducted outlandish stunts and pranks, and they were all so skillful that the show was an instant success, making them superstars overnight.
Although the Jackass series wrapped after three years, by that time, Johnny Knoxville was in demand, thoroughly enjoying the fame and fortune he'd dreamed of 13 years prior.
Jackass was over, but the public was definitively not "over" Jackass' wild (and often dangerous) stunts — so the Jackass cast decided to make a movie.
In 2002, Jackass: The Movie was released, and audiences welcomed this film with open arms. On a scant $5 million budget, Jackass: The Movie grossed $79.5 million.
In other words, a 20 times over profit meant Jackass was a big franchise, and its newly minted stars did everything in their power to make it even bigger.
They made spinoffs and sequels of the movies, and launched games. They also sold unreleased material, created live blogs and websites containing stunts, and sold merchandise.
Jackass was the key to Johnny Knoxville's entrance into the mainstream movie sphere, launching him into a new journey.
MTV's Aughties Skate ManiaRob Dyrdek's Net Worth Is Ridiculousness
From teen skate phenom to a $100 million fortune, Rob Dyrdek's net worth stems from a media and business empire with skateboarding at its core.Johnny Knoxville: Jack Of All Trades, Jackass Of None
After 13 years of grinding in the entertainment industry, Johnny Knoxville still had yet to land a significant role in a major film.
However, 2002 was the year that changed Knoxville's life.
Prior to his breakthrough in 2002, Johnny's acting projects consisted of short roles and brief video appearances.
But after the huge success of Jackass in 2002, in a single year, he worked on Big Trouble and Men In Black 2 as a major character, and scored a minor role in Wild Deuces.
Knoxville wanted to prove his mettle as an actor from the beginning, and he was finally making his dreams come true.
He showcased his acting skills in several great movies, like Grand Theft Parsons, Walking Tall, The Ringer, The Last Stand, Bad Grandpa, Elvis & Nixon, and Above Suspicion.
Throughout his acting career, Knoxville tackled nearly every kind of role: serious roles, comedy roles, voice acting, stunts, and background actor.
There are 55 major acting and voice acting projects to his credit, as well as 29 producer credits, and 16 projects on which he wrote.
A new trailer for an upcoming film starring Knoxville, Sweet Dreams, just dropped on March 13th:
Not only did he step into the wrestling ring for the promotion of his Jackass Forever movie — the former stuntman also surprisingly beat professional wrestler Sami Zayn at his own game.
Apparently, Johnny Knoxville is the proverbial "Jack Of All Trades," and he is also a master of all of them.
2:00
Making Jackass Look EducationalThe Island Boys' Net Worth Surges: Despite Constantly Courting Controversy, The Venegas Brothers Are Millionaires
The curious case of the Island Boys: Despite a troubled past and social media ridicule, these brothers are still seemingly raking in huge sums.Johnny Knoxville's Acting Career At A Glance
| Total Acting Projects To Date | 55 |
| Notable Movies & Series | Jackass, The Last Stand, Bad Grandpa, Reboot (TV Show) |
| Upcoming Projects | Sweet Dreams, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (Voice) |
One of Knoxville's upcoming projects is Sweet Dreams, in which he will portray a softball coach named Morris.
Jackass' Johnny is also slated to voice the character Randy Cheeks in the upcoming animated movie Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie.
Knoxville is now 53 years old, but he still approaches his career and work with the enthusiasm of a teenager.
The 'A' In 'AOC' Is For 'Ambition'AOC’s Net Worth: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Modest Money Proves Her Mettle
AOC’s Cinderella journey in Washington: How one of the youngest Congress members went from underdog to powerful politician.Johnny Knoxville's Net Worth Rose Like A Tidal Wave
After years of struggle, Jackass mastermind Johnny Knoxville now reaps the rewards of his efforts, as he is still pocketing millions for his performances.
According to MovieWeb, Johnny earned $5 million for his role in 2004's Walking Tall:
In 2004, he earned millions for a single supporting role, so it is reasonable to estimate that Knoxville was making far more than $5 million for lead roles.
| Johnny Knoxville's Net Worth (2024, Estimated) | $50 Million |
| Johnny Knoxville's Reported Walking Tall Salary | $5 Million |
Hollywood's Hardest WorkersComeback King: John Travolta's Net Worth And Many Career Revivals, Explained
He never gave up despite many setbacks, and now John Travolta is one of Hollywood’s wealthiest leading men.Johnny Knoxville’s inspirational life story serves as an example for people with lofty ambitions.
Dream big, strive hard for it, and persevere, and success will often follow. Knoxville is a testament to that.
Despite more than a decade of struggle, a young man who dreamed big never let go of his dream — he improvised, sharpened his skills, and never lost hope.
After years of hard work, his efforts finally paid off, and today, Johnny Knoxville is a mainstream actor who has amassed an impressive estimated $50 million fortune.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEq6CcoJWowW%2BvzqZmo6eYo7u6ecqnprGumaG5pnnNnqtmr5%2Bnwal7