Jackass Star Johnny Knoxville Reveals His Top 5 Films

When you think of Johnny Knoxville, brain-rattling stunts and outrageous pranks probably come to mind before serious film criticism. Yet this unlikely Hollywood figure, who somehow parlayed getting hurt on camera into major movie roles, has developed quite the refined taste in cinema. From his villainous turn in Men in Black II—one of 2002's biggest box office hits—to sharing screen time with A-listers like Andrew Garfield, Dwayne Johnson, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Knoxville has carved out a legitimate place in Tinseltown despite once injuring his urethra on live television.

Comedy Gold and Unexpected Depth

During a recent Reddit Ask Me Anything session, fans got a glimpse into the Jackass star's movie preferences. His first pick shouldn't shock anyone familiar with his comedic sensibilities: Mel Brooks' legendary western parody Blazing Saddles. This 1974 masterpiece consistently appears on greatest comedy lists, earning the sixth spot on the American Film Institute's "100 Years... 100 Laughs" ranking. While it's now considered a timeless classic with countless celebrity admirers, Brooks faced an uphill battle convincing studios to greenlight this irreverent project.

But Knoxville's remaining choices reveal surprising dramatic depth. He selected Elia Kazan's 1957 drama A Face in the Crowd, featuring Andy Griffith in a career-defining performance as a homeless musician who rises to unexpected fame in rural Arkansas. Though initially overlooked, this prescient film has gained tremendous respect over the decades, earning praise from directors like Martin Scorsese.

Dark Humor and International Cinema

The stuntman's third choice, Harold and Maude, showcases Hal Ashby's darkly comic vision about an unlikely romance between a death-obsessed young man and a vivacious elderly woman. This 1971 cult classic bombed initially but eventually found its audience, landing at number 45 on the AFI comedy list—though its humor differs drastically from Brooks' slapstick approach.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Knoxville chose Giuseppe Tornatore's Cinema Paradiso, a tender Italian coming-of-age story set in Sicily. This beautiful 1988 film explores the friendship between a young boy and an aging movie projectionist, representing a remarkably sensitive selection from someone whose day job involves getting repeatedly assaulted for laughs.

Documentary Appreciation

Rounding out his quintet, Knoxville selected Heartworn Highways, James Szalapski's 1976 documentary chronicling the birth of Outlaw Country music. The film features performances by legendary musicians Guy Clark, David Allan Coe, and Townes Van Zandt, appealing specifically to country music enthusiasts.

This eclectic mix—spanning comedy, drama, foreign cinema, and documentary—reveals an unexpectedly sophisticated film palate from Hollywood's most famous professional masochist. His selections demonstrate that beneath all those concussions lies genuine appreciation for cinematic artistry across multiple genres and decades.