Johnny Knoxville on His New Baseball Movie ‘Sweet Dreams’–and Brock Lesnar, Shohei Ohtani, and Sami Zayn
“Brock just scooped Wee Man up, pointed to a table, and said, ‘That’s where you’re going.’”
Johnny Knoxville possesses an innate understanding the role of the underdog.
He acquired that knowledge from years of first-hand experience.
“Think of the chances of me becoming any kind of success when I left Tennessee at the age of 18,” said Knoxville, who rose to prominence with Jackass while also highlighting his veritable acting chops in an array of different films. “Due to great ignorance, I didn’t realize at the time how almost impossible that would be. I don’t know, something inside me said it was possible.”
Knoxville’s newest project is the Sweet Dreams film. It is an intricate story of baseball, addiction, and the will to overcome. Surrounded by an incredibly funny cast, the charismatic Knoxville shines in the role.
Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Knoxville discussed a plethora of topics, including the film, his affinity for baseball, and his recent memorable run-ins with WWE.
Justin Barrasso: The upcoming film looks extremely compelling. You also served as an executive producer. Perhaps it is because you are such an incredible underdog story, but what about these roles of overcoming the odds speak to directly to your soul?
Johnny Knoxville: Telling yourself something is possible, that is a very strong quality to have. It’s just like this movie with people getting clean and staying clean. You’re got to look at it from a positive standpoint. You’ve got to put in the work, but you’ve got to be positive. Nothing can be achieved with a negative attitude.
Barrasso: You’re right, you don’t make much progress on a flat tire. And there is so much positivity in the film even as it deals with a tough topic. Unfortunately, the majority of people can relate to addiction. Where did you draw your inspiration for the film?
Knoxville: I grew up around addicts. My father was an alcoholic. I have a lot of friends that are in the program, so I have a very direct contact with it. Steve-O, for example, that he could get clean and stay clean, it is unbelievable. He was as far gone as you could get without dying, just to be honest. But he showed incredible bravery and turned his life around, and he’s just killing it in every aspect of his life. If you’re looking for inspiration, it’s Steve-O.
Barrasso: We are long overdue for an endearing baseball movie. You have a long history with the game. What are some of your highlights as a player and fan?
Knoxville: I absolutely love baseball. When I was graduating high school, I was either going to a small college to play baseball or going to try this acting thing out. I opted for the acting thing, but I still think about baseball and miss it. Luckily, my son Rocko plays now. If I had a pretty good arm in high school, he has a great arm. It’s exciting watching him grow and develop.
Barrasso: Growing up, who was your favorite team?
Knoxville: I grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee, so we didn’t have a team. On cable, we’d get Atlanta and the Reds. I was a fan of Atlanta, and the Reds in the 70’s were amazing. But I’d flop around, I really wasn’t that loyal. When Houston had Nolan Ryan and J.R. Richard, I was an Astros fan. The team I stayed with the longest is the Braves, but living in Los Angeles for so long, I’m so excited for the Dodgers–especially with Shohei. He is unreal.
Barrasso: Who is the better gambler: you or Shohei Ohtani?
Knoxville: From what I’m reading, Shohei is not a gambler.
Barrasso: No matter what happened, Major League Baseball will stay partnered with FanDuel.
Knoxville: I still think about the Pete Rose incident. Pete Rose only bet on his team to win. He never bet on his team to lose. So what’s the big f------ deal? Pete Rose is one of the greatest hitters of all-time. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. One day, he will be in the Hall of Fame. So why not put him in while he’s still alive? Hopefully the commissioner [Rob Manfred] will come to his senses and put him in the Hall of Fame.
Barrasso: I agree. I’m an advocate for inducting Rose in the Hall.
Knoxville: The man fully deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. And what a head of hair. And he looked good in a pair of Jockey underpants.
Barrasso: And I’m glad we’re discussing this–gambling–because it ties into The Ringer, which you starred in back in 2005. One of the most iconic, unexpected lines from that film was “When the f--- did we get ice cream?”
Knoxville: I blew a few takes because I would anticipate it coming. Then I would start laughing and you’d hear, “Cut! At least let him say the line!” Geoffrey Arend absolutely destroyed me every time he said that line.
Barrasso: As a Special Olympics coach for the past two decades, I appreciated the heart the film had toward the athletes, as well as the fact it opened a lot of new opportunities for women and men who were also Special Olympics athletes.
Knoxville: I think a lot of the people prejudged The Ringer without actually seeing it. If you saw it, you see how much heart is in it.
Barrasso: Your new film is about baseball, which still promotes itself as America’s pastime–but pro wrestling is up there, too. Your Royal Rumble appearance two years ago, followed by an outstanding Anything Goes match at WrestleMania 38 against Sami Zayn, exceeded every expectation. Were you proud of your run in WWE? And what was it like to work with Sami?
Knoxville: You mean that lowdown-and-dirty Sami Zayn? I still want to punch him in his stupid face.
Apr 3, 2022; Arlington, TX, USA; Johnny Knoxville and Sami Zayn wrestle
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Barrasso: There is no greater critic of your work than you, and no one holds you to a higher standard than you do to yourself. Yet you had to be pleased with that match, right?
Knoxville: Aside from having to actually look at Sami’s big, dumb face, I was thrilled with the match. Afterward, it felt like we did something special. To walk in backstage into [the] Gorilla [position, right behind the curtain], I think they call it, they stood up and clapped–and those guys and girls have seen it all. For them to clap, I took it as a big compliment. And I hate to say anything good about Sami Zayn, but he did an amazing job in that match–an amazing job losing, I should point out.
And I was happy to have my guys there. Wee Man body slamming Sami was the highlight of the match and the whole night.
Barrasso: I have to ask: in the months leading up to WrestleMania, what happened between you, Wee Man, and Brock Lesnar?
Knoxville: I can’t remember being so happy [laughs]. We were at a Four Seasons restaurant. Wee Man had a couple drinks. And when Wee Man has a couple drinks, he gets loud and rambunctious. And he started talking smack to Brock–and Brock just scooped Wee Man up, pointed to a table, and said, “That’s where you’re going.” Right in the middle of a Four Seasons restaurant, it was amazing.
Barrasso: I’m sure the guests there were thrilled.
Knoxville: They were almost as happy as me. But that glee was all mine.
Barrasso: Why should baseball fans, wrestling fans, and people all over the globe give Sweet Dreams a chance?
Knoxville: First of all, it’s got some great people in it–Bobby Lee, Mohammad Amer, Theo Von. It’s a film about a guy trying to get his life back and his daughter back. It’s very relatable.
A lot of the actors and the people on the set are in the program. My character is fighting to get his life back, and that sends a good message. It can happen as long as you stick with it and work hard. I really hope people enjoy it.
