A Skateboarder’s Journey Through Gaming and Hollywood
Bam Margera is best known for his wild stunts on Jackass and his role in Viva la Bam. While he may not be returning to those projects, especially with the end of Jackass, there’s another way fans can still enjoy his unique energy: through video games. This isn’t as surprising as it might seem, especially when you consider how much he has contributed to the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series over the years.
During a recent press tour, Margera shared some fascinating stories about his time working with the franchise, both behind and in front of the controller. One particular anecdote stood out when I asked him about the biggest changes since he first appeared in the game.
He recalled that when he first joined the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series, everything felt like high-tech Hollywood. “When we did the very first game, I thought it was really high-tech Hollywood stuff,” he said. “Putting on a spandex outfit with all these lime green balls, tracking my style on the halfpipe. That was right around when The Matrix came out. So when they did that pause, there were 32 cameras that filmed them, and we thought that was like a real high-tech thing.”
Margera first appeared in the original release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 in 2001 and remained a recurring character through Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground in 2007. During this time, the gaming industry underwent significant changes. The same era saw the release of the original Halo trilogy on the Xbox, marking a shift from a niche hobby to a major entertainment force. By 2004, Halo 2 had achieved first-day sales that rivaled those of blockbuster movies.
Fast forward to 2025, and the gaming world has evolved dramatically. It’s now common to see A-list celebrities and personalities in video games, drawing comparisons to the film industry. Even the use of Bullet Time, once a hallmark of Hollywood films, is now achievable with just a few smartphones. Margera described his experience being scanned into Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 as something straight out of a Marvel movie.
“Activision now has 167 cameras in a globe, scanning you from head to toe,” he explained. “You could do The Matrix thing, not only just horizontal. Now you can do it every which way. So it was really incredible to see that. And I’ve done a lot of Hollywood stuff, and that was the most high-tech thing I’ve ever seen.”
One story that particularly caught my attention involved how the early days of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games led to some unexpected consequences for Margera. In a behind-the-scenes video, the process of scanning him into the game is clearly shown. But as you watch, you also learn about how the first two Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games actually caused him to miss several flights during his peak years.
Skateboarding has played a crucial role in Margera’s sobriety journey, helping him rebuild relationships, including with Tony Hawk. Their friendship eventually led to Margera being added as a last-minute inclusion in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4. Being billed as the “secret skater” of the new title is a unique distinction, especially considering the show’s star is a big fan of the game.
If things go well, there’s a chance Margera could continue appearing in future remakes of other Pro Skater entries. Alternatively, with his new experience in game acting, he might even want to create a new series that translates his skills into something entirely new.
This kind of approach worked for Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes in their recent Call of Duty experience. If you’re feeling nostalgic for the days of shredding to a killer soundtrack, you can currently purchase Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 on all major gaming platforms and relive some of that past glory.