Bam Margera: What Happened, Health, Money, and Feuds

Age: 45 (as of 2025) ·
Estimated net worth: $2 million ·
Number of Jackass films: 3 ·
Years active: 1995–present ·
Married to: Dannii Marie (since 2023) ·
Rehab stints: Multiple

Seven key facts about Bam Margera’s life and career, one pattern: a steep rise followed by a decade of struggle, and now a tentative rebound.

What has happened to Bam Margera?

Early life and rise to fame

Born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, on September 28, 1979, Bam Margera grew up skateboarding and filming stunts with his friends. The CKY video series caught the attention of MTV, leading to his role in the debut of Jackass in 2000 (Wikipedia).

Jackass career and spin-offs

Margera’s popularity exploded. Jackass ran for three seasons on MTV, and he got his own spin-off, Viva La Bam, which aired from 2003 to 2005 (Wikipedia). He also appeared in the three Jackass films — Jackass: The Movie (2002), Jackass Number Two (2006), and Jackass 3D (2010) — and directed the spin-off film Where the #$&% is Santa?. The money and fame were enormous, but the partying caught up with him.

Legal and health struggles

Throughout the 2010s, Margera cycled through multiple rehab stints for alcohol and drug addiction. In 2021, he was fired from Jackass Forever after violating a safety agreement that required him to stay sober and undergo mental health treatment (Us Weekly). He later sued Johnny Knoxville and Paramount for wrongful termination, a case that strained his relationship with the franchise permanently (The Sun).

The pattern: the same fearlessness that made him famous also made the fall harder, and the recovery depends on keeping that line in view.

Why did Steve-O and Bam fall out?

Origins of the friendship

Steve-O and Bam were close friends during the peak of Jackass. They partied together, pranked each other, and appeared in each other’s projects. But as Steve-O got sober in 2008, the friendship started to fray (Us Weekly).

Jackass filming and tensions

During the filming of Jackass Forever, Margera’s erratic behavior became a problem. Steve-O later said on a podcast that he had to distance himself because Bam was “in a really bad place” and that his addiction made it impossible to be around him (YouTube interview). The breaking point came when Margera was fired from the film.

Public feud and reconciliation attempts

Since then, Steve-O has publicly expressed concern for Margera’s well-being, but also made clear they are no longer close. In a 2024 interview, Steve-O said he still hopes Bam gets better, but they are not in regular contact (Us Weekly). As of 2025, there have been no signs of a full reconciliation.

The pattern: addiction pushed apart two friends who once thrived on shared chaos. For Steve-O, sobriety meant building a boundary. For Bam, that boundary became a wall.

Does Johnny Knoxville talk to Bam?

Johnny Knoxville’s role in Jackass

Johnny Knoxville is the creator and lead of the Jackass franchise. He and Margera were close, with Knoxville often appearing on Viva La Bam and supporting Margera’s projects. But the relationship soured during the making of Jackass Forever.

Legal dispute over Jackass Forever

In 2022, Margera filed a lawsuit against Knoxville, Paramount, and the film’s production team, alleging they fired him in bad faith and violated his health and safety agreements (The Sun). The lawsuit was eventually settled, but the damage to their relationship was done. Knoxville has made few public comments, but in a 2023 interview he said he “wishes Bam well” and hopes he gets healthy (YouTube interview).

Current communications

As of 2025, Margera and Knoxville are not on speaking terms. In a February 2025 YouTube interview, Margera said he had not spoken to Knoxville and that “it’s awkward” (YouTube interview). The implication: the legal battle, combined with Margera’s public statements, has made a return to friendship unlikely.

The catch: the Jackass door is likely closed, which makes his independent return the only version that can work.

How is Bam Margera doing now?

Physical health and sobriety

According to a Fox News report published July 16, 2025, Margera is approaching nearly two years of sobriety (Fox News). He told the outlet that skateboarding “helped” his sobriety and that he needs it to stay alive. In an April 2025 YouTube clip, he described his health as “phenomenal” and said he had been through 13 treatment centers, each for 90 days (YouTube interview clip).

Family life with wife Dannii Marie

Margera married Dannii Marie in 2023, and they have a son named Phoenix Wolf (The Philadelphia Inquirer). He has credited Dannii with helping him get back on track, saying in a Times of India report that “she helped me get back” (Times of India).

Return to skateboarding

Recent videos show Margera skating again, and a July 2025 report confirmed he will appear in the new Tony Hawk video game (Times of India). He also streams on Kick, where he interacts with fans and talks about his recovery.

What this means: after years of decline, Margera is physically active, sober, and present — a combination that seemed impossible five years ago.

How is Bam Margera still making money?

Reality TV residuals

Margera earns royalties from Jackass and Viva La Bam re-runs and streaming deals. The franchise remains popular on Paramount+ and other platforms, providing a steady if modest income.

Brand endorsements and merch

He has a line of merchandise through his own brand, and occasionally does paid appearances. His net worth is estimated at $2 million (Wikipedia).

Online streaming and Kick

Margera has a Kick channel where he streams regularly. He also sells signed memorabilia and does fan meet-ups. While not a fortune, it gives him an independent income stream outside the Jackass ecosystem.

The catch: Margera’s net worth is a fraction of what it was during his peak in the 2000s, but he no longer has a multi-million-dollar lifestyle to maintain. That may be part of the reason this recovery is sticking.

Timeline

• 1979 – Born in West Chester, Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)
• 2000 – Jackass premieres on MTV with Bam as a core cast member (Wikipedia)
• 2003 – Spin-off series Viva La Bam airs (Wikipedia)
• 2007 – Marries Melissa Rothstein; later divorces in 2012 (Wikipedia)
• 2010s – Multiple rehab stints for alcohol and drug addiction (YouTube interview clip)
• 2021 – Involved in Jackass Forever but fired after violating safety agreements (Us Weekly)
• 2022 – Files lawsuit against Johnny Knoxville and Paramount for wrongful termination (The Sun)
• 2023 – Marries Dannii Marie; son born (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
• 2024 – Reports of sobriety and return to skateboarding (Us Weekly)
• 2025 – Active on social media, streaming on Kick, appears healthier (Fox News)

Timeline signal: The gap between 2021 and 2024 marks the darkest period — lawsuits, relapses, and public breakdowns. The steady uptick since 2024 is the first sustained positive trend in over a decade.

Confirmed facts vs. What remains unclear

The takeaway: the confirmed record is stronger than the open questions, but the central uncertainty — how long sobriety lasts — cannot be settled by a news article.

Voices from the story

“I reached a year — September 28th is my sober day. I’m absolutely done with the Jackass franchise.”

Bam Margera, in a 2025 interview with Yahoo News UK (Yahoo News UK)

“He’s in a really bad place. I hope he gets better, but I can’t be around him.”

Steve-O, speaking on a podcast about Margera’s addiction (Us Weekly)

“I wish Bam well. I hope he gets healthy.”

Johnny Knoxville, in a 2023 interview (YouTube interview)

“Skateboarding helped my sobriety. I need it in my life — I’ll die without it.”

Bam Margera, speaking to Fox News in July 2025 (Fox News)

For Bam Margera, the choice is clear: stay on the board, stay sober, and stay out of the tabloid headlines — or risk losing everything he’s rebuilt. The 2025 version of him is a long way from the wild kid on MTV, but that distance might be exactly what keeps him alive.

Frequently asked questions

For now, the most useful answer is also the simplest: Bam Margera is alive, sober, and skating again — and that changes the stakes of every other question.