Johnny Knoxville Faced A Heartbreaking Loss Just Ahead Of Jackass Forever

Johnny Knoxville knows a thing or two about getting beat up (both physically and mentally). The original "Jackass" television show premiered way back in 2000, and from there we have seen Knoxville and his friends engage in all sorts of dangerous and hilarious behaviors, the kind that viewers at home should never attempt to recreate on their own. That makes perfect sense considering that even riding a shopping cart down a hill can prove to be a deadly and life-threatening affair.

Speaking with NME, Knoxville spoke about his career and "Jackass Forever," and said, "I knew going into this movie that this was going to be the last time I was going to do big stunts because I've got kids and I've had so many injuries. I feel like I could go out good in this film by [making it] my last with big stunts. I've got nothing left to prove in that area." Unfortunately, besides the physical toll "Jackass" star Knoxville experiences on any given day, he actually suffered one of the greatest losses any individual can go through in their lifetime right before the release of "Jackass Forever."

"Jackass Forever" was released in early February 2022, and later released an unused footage film on Netflix in May 2022 called "Jackass 4.5." Featuring the typical "Jackass" fare involving extreme scenes of pain, punishment, and gasp-inducing moments, "Jackass Forever" pushed the cast members to their extremes — or at least one would assume, considering the moments that are shown and the general age of the "Jackass" members. As mentioned earlier though, the physical torment featured in "Jackass Forever" is but a pale shadow compared to what star Johnny Knoxville experienced before the release of the movie.

In an interview with Howard Stern, Knoxville explained that he had lost his mother in 2017, and his father was struggling in 2018 with health issues. He elaborated, "I had just left Tennessee after I saw him and a couple of days later, my sister was like 'you need to come back, dad has taken a turn for the worse.' My dad loved 'Jackass' — he loved it — and I had made the decision that I wanted to do another one, but I hadn't told anyone. And dad was going to be the first person I told."

Johnny Knoxville continued and said that he immediately got a plane to come back and check on his father, and as soon as he landed, his sister called and asked how far away he was. Upon reaching the hospital, Knoxville's sister informed him that his father had passed. Knoxville said, "It was crushing to me because I just wanted to tell him that I loved him and that we were doing another film and how happy it would have made him."

He shared that he just wished he had a chance to tell his father that he was loved and that it is still a rough memory to recollect. He then said it is still tough for him because he never got a chance to tell his father about "Jackass Forever." This interview highlighted a rare moment of vulnerability for a person who has made a career of being physically abused, but there are some wounds that cannot be mended with bandages and salves. Still, Knoxville was probably thinking of his father when "Jackass Forever" premiered, and it was probably a deeply personal accomplishment for the famous stuntman and comedian.