Steve-O Calls for Accountability From Bam Margera as ‘Jackass: Best and Last’ Closes the Book on a Fractured Friendship
The arrival of the final ‘Jackass’ film in theaters has reignited a conversation the franchise has never quite been able to put to rest. With ‘Jackass: Best and Last’ now playing for audiences, the question of where Bam Margera fits into that farewell has come into sharp focus once again, and Steve-O is not shying away from giving an honest answer.
Steve-O appeared on the TMZ TV Podcast to speak about the film and was asked directly about Margera. He called it wonderful that Margera agreed to be featured in the movie at all and praised the fact that he appeared to be in such a good and healthy place. But alongside that warmth came a candid message about what he still hopes to see from his former co-star.
What Steve-O Actually Said About Bam Margera’s Recovery
During the podcast episode on June 25, Steve-O reflected on his complicated bond with Margera and said, “If he could take accountability for what happened in the past and say, ‘You know what, that’s what happened and now I’m healthy. I’m willing to admit my part.’ That’s recovery.” The statement was measured but pointed, framing accountability not as a demand but as a marker of genuine progress.
Steve-O also acknowledged that he has not spoken with Margera recently and said he finds it confusing, noting that he does not believe Margera has any issue with him personally. He pointed out that when Margera was fired from the fourth film, Steve-O was the sober cast member actively campaigning for Margera not to be let go.
He also reflected on his own hesitation before the fourth film went into production, saying that at the time he could not see how the crew could make ‘Jackass Forever’ with Margera given his condition, nor how they could make it without him. That tension, he suggested, never fully resolved itself even after years passed.
Steve-O told USA TODAY that he has not had any personal contact with Margera in quite some time, adding that it is a shame Margera could not see the final film for what it was, while also acknowledging it was genuinely cool that Margera agreed to allow the archival footage to be used.
How Bam Margera Appears in ‘Jackass: Best and Last’
‘Jackass: Best and Last’ is the fifth and final main installment in the franchise, directed by Jeff Tremaine and released in the United States on June 26, 2026, through Paramount Pictures. Margera does not appear in any new footage and is present only through archival material, making this the only theatrical ‘Jackass’ film without his direct involvement.
One notable moment involving Margera revisits the “Silence of the Lambs” scene from ‘Jackass Forever,’ a prank in which cast members were locked in a dark room and led to believe a rattlesnake was loose with them. Margera was originally part of that segment, but the footage was cut from the 2022 film so viewers would not even know he had been there. In ‘Jackass: Best and Last,’ that cut footage has been restored.
In January, Margera told TMZ that while he signed off on the film using archival footage of him, he had no interest in returning for anything new because of how his firing from ‘Jackass Forever’ had affected him. His exact words conveyed that he carries significant emotional weight from the experience and had already accepted that he did not want further involvement.
Johnny Knoxville said the team reached out to Margera through a third party to obtain his permission, and that Margera approved the use of archival footage but declined to return for new material. Knoxville’s response was gracious, saying he accepted and respected that decision and that he had nothing but love for Margera.
The Fallout That Shaped the Franchise’s Final Chapter
Margera was let go from ‘Jackass Forever’ during production after allegedly violating the terms of a contract that included a wellness agreement tied to concerns about his sobriety. After his dismissal, he filed a lawsuit against Knoxville, director Jeff Tremaine, and producer Spike Jonze, among others. In his suit, Margera described the conditions of the wellness agreement as amounting to psychological torture.
The situation further deteriorated when Tremaine obtained a temporary restraining order against Margera, who had allegedly sent disturbing messages to the filmmaker, with separate reports citing veiled threats made against Tremaine on social media. The estrangement between Margera and the broader ‘Jackass’ production became one of the more public and painful fractures in reality entertainment history.
Margera’s struggles with alcoholism led to repeated stints in rehabilitation facilities over the years. After contracting COVID-19 and pneumonia and being placed on life support, he later described that experience as a significant turning point in his life.
Where Bam Margera Stands Today
As of 2026, Margera has confirmed via Instagram that he has been sober for two years, a milestone that many observers view as meaningful given the years of public struggles that preceded it. His parents attended the Los Angeles premiere of the film in his place and offered their own assessment of where things stand.
His mother April revealed that Margera had genuinely considered attending the premiere but found it difficult, saying she believed the grief surrounding the death of Ryan Dunn played a role in his decision to stay away. Dunn, an original ‘Jackass’ cast member and close friend of Margera, died in a car accident in 2011.
Phil and April Margera walked the premiere carpet in their son’s place, and both offered positive updates on his condition. Phil told reporters that Bam is doing fantastic, adding he knocks on wood every day about it, while April echoed that sentiment, saying he is actually doing really, really well.
The film received positive reviews, earning an 88 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 56 critical reviews at launch, with critics noting its nostalgic and celebratory tone as the franchise closes out its theatrical run. Whether Steve-O’s public call for Margera to take accountability ever leads to a genuine conversation between the two is a question that now sits beyond the credits of the final film, and it would be worth hearing from fans who watched Margera define so much of what ‘Jackass’ was about whether they think that reconciliation is still possible.
