Johnny Knoxville
Philip John Clapp (born March 11, 1971), known professionally as Johnny Knoxville , is an American stunt performer , actor , comedian , screenwriter , and film producer . Best known for co-creating and starring in the MTV reality stunt series Jackass , which debuted in 2000 and spawned a long-running film franchise, Knoxville has built a career around high-risk physical comedy and pranks that have influenced extreme entertainment.
Born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee , to tire salesman Philip Clapp and Sunday school teacher Lemoyne Clapp, Knoxville grew up with two older sisters in a middle-class family. He graduated from South-Doyle High School in 1989 before briefly attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California , though he dropped out to pursue acting opportunities. After moving to Los Angeles , he initially worked as an extra and in commercials while developing stunt ideas; a pitch to MTV magazine led to the creation of Jackass with collaborators like Jeff Tremaine and Spike Jonze , transforming his daredevil persona into a cultural phenomenon.
Beyond the Jackass series, which includes films like Jackass: The Movie (2002), Jackass Number Two (2006), and Jackass Forever (2022), Knoxville has starred in mainstream comedies such as Men in Black II (2002), Walking Tall (2004), The Dukes of Hazzard (2005), The Ringer (2005), and Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013), the latter earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. He has also produced projects like Nitro Circus and appeared in professional wrestling events, while sustaining numerous injuries from his stunt work, including a brain hemorrhage in 2021 that prompted his retirement from the most dangerous stunts. In his personal life , Knoxville has been married twice—first to Melanie Cates (1995–2010), with whom he has a daughter, and then to Naomi Nelson (2010–2024), with whom he has a son and a daughter—and as of 2025, he is engaged to filmmaker Emily Ting .
Philip John Clapp, professionally known as Johnny Knoxville, was born on March 11, 1971, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
He was the youngest child of Philip Clapp (1935–2018), a tire and car salesman who owned a local business, and Lemoyne Clapp (née Houck; 1938–2017), a Sunday school teacher. The family resided in South Knoxville, where young Philip—often called P.J.—grew up alongside his two older sisters, Lynne Draughon and Krisden Parrott.
Knoxville's upbringing was marked by a close-knit family dynamic influenced heavily by his father's outgoing and humorous nature. Philip Clapp was known for his charismatic "million-dollar personality," which filled rooms with laughter and pranks, instilling in his son an early appreciation for comedy and bold antics. His mother , Lemoyne, recalled him as "always a daredevil" from a young age, reflecting a childhood filled with adventurous spirit amid the supportive yet traditional Southern environment of Knoxville.
A pivotal moment in his childhood came when his cousin, singer-songwriter Roger Alan Wade , gifted him a copy of Jack Kerouac's On the Road . This novel ignited Knoxville's fascination with tales of adventure, wanderlust , and nonconformity, shaping his imaginative worldview long before his professional pursuits.
Knoxville graduated from South-Young High School (now South-Doyle High School) in Knoxville, Tennessee , in 1989.
Following high school, he received a scholarship to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts' summer program in Pasadena, California , but dropped out after two weeks.
In 1990, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in writing and acting.
While in Los Angeles , Knoxville began writing for skateboarding magazines, including Big Brother , where he contributed articles on extreme sports and stunts.
