Bam Margera wants to sue Jackass makers after being dropped from latest film
Jackass star Bam Margera has launched legal action after he was dropped from the franchise’s latest film, saying he was illegally sacked.
Margera was an original member of the comedy-stunt troupe, and starred in the TV show and a trio of films – but his relationship with the group has become increasingly strained.
He was dismissed from the fourth movie, Jackass Forever, for reportedly breaching the terms of his contract which required him to submit to daily drug tests.
Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera pictured here in 2003. Pic Marcel Mettelsiefen/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
His addiction struggles have been well documented, and Margera apparently failed some of his contractually-mandated drug tests while the film was in production.
In a California lawsuit, Margera says he is suing Paramount Pictures, Jackass director Jeff Tremaine and troupe co-creators Johnny Knoxville and Spike Jonze, alleging he was illegally dismissed.
He is seeking millions of dollars in compensation, as well as an injunction to prevent the film’s release in October.
His lawyers claim they “accosted him and coerced him into signing a draconian ‘Wellness Agreement'”, threatening Margera with being dumped from future films if he did not agree.
Margera was allegedly sacked after testing positive for Adderall, reportedly despite the film’s team knowing he had been taking the drug for several years to treat his attention deficit disorder.
The 41-year-old said: “I am p***** off, angry, hurt, and shattered that Johnny, Jeff, Spike and the studios and producers ripped off my creativity, content, and stunts to make this movie, fired me without justification, and refuse to pay for my work; I created this franchise before any of these guys ever got involved.
“My lawsuit isn’t just about compensation. It’s about treating people with mental health and addiction issues in an honest manner and not taking advantage of their disabilities to rip them off.”
Subscribe to the Backstage podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker
Eric M George, Margera’s lawyer, said: “While Margera has given Jackass – quite literally – more than two decades worth of his blood, sweat and tears, the defendants have not repaid him in kin.
“Rather, Margera, who has a documented history of mental health issues, including diagnosed bipolar disorder, has been the victim of unconscionable discrimination at the hands of defendants.”
Addressing his relationship with Margera, Knoxville recently told GQ: “We want Bam to be happy and healthy and get the help he needs.
“We tried to push that along. I think that’s all I really want to say about it.”
Sky News has contacted Paramount Pictures, as well as representatives for Tremaine, Jonze and Knoxville for comment.
Entertainment
Terence Stamp, Superman villain and star of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, has died
Entertainment
Cara Delevingne reveals how Topshop inspired her fashion sense – as brand relaunches in London
Fashion brand Topshop celebrated its relaunch with its first catwalk in seven years.
The company’s website promised everyone was invited as models strutted down a runway on Trafalgar Square in front of noughties fashion icons Cara Delevingne and Adwoa Aboah and the London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.
The label has been operating on the online fashion platform ASOS after ceasing to operate as a standalone business in 2020.
Topshop held a catwalk in Trafalgar Square. Pic: PA
A model on the catwalk
Its previous owner, Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia group, collapsed into administration and all of Topshop’s physical stores – including the Oxford Circus flagship in London’s West End – closed soon after.
Delevingne told Sky News she was “totally blown away” by the relaunch event.
“It was like nostalgia mixed with something eclectic but also something brand new,” she said.
“For me, it really brings back a time of exploration of my own fashion sense because I think for me at Topshop I got to discover so much.”
The model, who is working on a capsule collection for next year, has already unveiled a choice edit in this year’s show and said her relationship with Topshop precedes her fame.
She said: “I would go in and my friends would be like ‘you would look good in that’ and I would go ‘no, that’s not really me’, and then you’d try it on and be like ‘oh maybe I can explore more’.
“They really have everything for everyone, and I feel like they brought that back.”
The runway showcased highlights from its Autumn-Winter 2025 collection, as well as an early preview of pieces set to drop later this season, including showstopper gowns, the classic white tee, and an aloe vera-coloured faux fur coat that surely should not have been on display – to prevent just about everyone rushing to buy it.
Topshop’s relaunch was staged at Trafalgar Square
Models in front of the National Gallery in London’s Trafalgar Square. Pic: PA
Reclaiming the high street
But sharp tailoring and statement outerwear suggest the brand is ready to reclaim the high street.
Must-have denim pieces completed the womenswear line-up while the Topman collection screamed modern utility by blending refined formal wear with sharp new silhouettes.
Casual pieces are grounded by authentic denim in deep indigos, which stood out on Trafalgar Square’s magnificent stone steps.
Topshop’s relaunch comes as the high street continues to struggle and as the UK operation of Chinese fashion giant Shein announced pre-tax profits of £38.3m for the year, up some £14m from 2023.
‘Top end of the market’
Moses Rashid, global marketing director at Topshop/Topman said they are competing in a different space.
Topshop has been operating on the online fashion platform ASOS after ceasing to operate as a standalone business in 2020
“We’re at the top end of the market. We’re about elevation. We pride ourselves on the quality of the product,” he said.
Those products are being designed in north London, and managing director Michelle Wilson said the aim is to stay that way.
“We are a British brand, we want to be a positive force for fashion. We want to bring London to the world. It’s fundamental to who we are as a brand, our style is very much London-driven.”
The majority Danish-owned company has suggested it will slow fashion down by opening physical stores where customers can touch the products, browse collections and try things on, though the flagship on Oxford Circus is unlikely to return because a Swedish fast furniture brand has since occupied the space.
Designer Wayne Hemingway has previously collaborated with Topshop and said the relaunch must be more than nostalgia.
Read more on Sky News:
Hurricane strengthening
Trump/Putin summit body language
Weather affected by wildfires
“They can’t rely on their old customers because their old customers have now got kids of their own to spend their money on, and they’ve got mortgages and all of those things of what being an adult means.
“They’ve got to have designers, marketeers, people who understand – who are on the pulse – who understood, number one, what was a success back then, and also a young generation of people who are there saying, ‘this is what our generation needs’, and who are bright and can help deliver that. They can’t rely on the past.”
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike