Bam Margera

Margera was in a long-term relationship with Jenn Rivell from 1998 to 2005, during which she frequently appeared in his video projects and on Viva La Bam.

In 2006, Margera became engaged to childhood friend Melissa "Missy" Rothstein. Their preparations and February 2007 wedding in downtown Philadelphia were documented on the MTV reality series Bam's Unholy Union. The couple later separated and finalized their divorce in November 2012.

On October 5, 2013, Margera held a wedding ceremony with Nicole Boyd in Reykjavik, Iceland. They welcomed a son, Phoenix Wolf, in December 2017. Boyd filed for legal separation in February 2023, and a court subsequently ruled that the ceremony had not constituted a legally binding marriage.

Margera married model Dannii Marie on May 28, 2024, in Socorro County, New Mexico. Margera has long maintained residences in Chester County, Pennsylvania, notably his Pocopson Township estate known as Castle Bam, which sits on 14 acres and was heavily featured on his television programs.

Brandon Cole Margera was born on September 28, 1979, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, to April and Phil Margera. When he was three years old, his grandfather gave him the nickname "Bam Bam" due to his habit of running into walls, a name his classmates later shortened to "Bam". He grew up alongside his older brother, Jess Margera.

After receiving a video camera from his father in 1993, Margera began shooting home videos of himself and his friends skateboarding, performing stunts, and staging pranks. The group included Ryan Dunn, Chris Raab, Brandon DiCamillo, Rake Yohn, and Brandon Novak, who became known as the CKY crew. The name was shared with Jess Margera's rock band, CKY (Camp Kill Yourself).

Margera independently edited and released the first video, CKY: Landspeed, in 1999. Its popularity within the skateboarding subculture led to sequels including CKY2K, CKY3, and CKY4: The Latest & Greatest, establishing the visual style and humor that would launch his mainstream media career.

The success of the CKY video series brought Margera to the attention of Big Brother magazine editor Jeff Tremaine, who recruited Margera and Ryan Dunn into the core ensemble of MTV's Jackass in 2000. Many stunts and sketches from the original CKY tapes were incorporated directly into the broadcast series.

Following the conclusion of the original television series, MTV gave Margera his own series, Viva La Bam, which aired for five seasons from 2003 to 2005. Filmed primarily at Castle Bam and around West Chester, the show followed Margera, the CKY crew, and his parents as they carried out elaborate missions and pranks. Margera later starred in spin-offs including Bam's Unholy Union in 2007, Bam's World Domination in 2010, and Bam's Bad Ass Game Show in 2014.

Margera co-starred in theatrical releases for the franchise, including Jackass: The Movie (2002), Jackass Number Two (2006), and Jackass 3D (2010). Although he filmed material for Jackass Forever (2022), he was dismissed during production, which led to a legal dispute with Paramount Pictures and the show's producers that was settled privately in April 2022.

Margera began skateboarding at age seven and turned professional in 1998. In his early career, he earned sponsorships from companies including Fairman's Skate Shop, Toy Machine Skateboards, Adio Footwear, Destructo Trucks, and Volcom.

In 2001, Margera joined Team Element, the demonstration team for Element Skateboards, remaining affiliated with the company for much of his career and releasing popular signature deck designs. He later collaborated with other skate companies, including Heart Supply and Zero Skateboards.

Margera gained substantial mainstream exposure through video games, appearing as a playable professional skater in Activision's Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 in 2001. He became a staple of the franchise, appearing in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, Tony Hawk's Underground, Tony Hawk's Underground 2, Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, Tony Hawk's Project 8, and Tony Hawk's Proving Ground.

Outside of television, Margera directed, co-wrote, and starred in the independent film Haggard (2003), loosely based on real events in the life of Ryan Dunn. He followed this with a sequel, Minghags (2009), and the holiday feature Bam Margera Presents: Where the #$&% Is Santa? (2008).

In November 2004, Margera launched Radio Bam, a weekly satellite radio broadcast on Sirius channel 28 Faction that ran for nearly a decade and regularly featured his friends and collaborators. In 2005, he founded the record label Filthy Note Records and directed music videos for bands including Clutch, Turbonegro, Viking Skull, and the Finnish rock group HIM.

Margera also performed as a keyboardist in the comedy rock outfit Gnarkill and fronted musical groups including Fuckface Unstoppable and The Evesdroppers. In 2008, he opened a bar and music venue called The Note in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which operated until 2014. He also authored the book Serious as Dog Dirt, released in 2009.