5 Famous Skaters That Are Also Famous Actors
It is no secret that some of our favorite Pro skaters have made it onto the big screen and some of which have managed to have their 'Big Break' then going on to pursue a career in the film industry which has then led to successful roles and special appearances in Hollywood movies and such.
Here are 5 examples of well-known skaters/actors which you may recognize either on a board or on the big screen.
JASON LEE
Founder of Stereo Skateboards, and street skating pioneer with one of the best fat ground tre flips of all time, Jason Lee starred in the hit TV show: My Name Is Earl where he had a starring role as the main character ‘Earl’. He went on to fill the successful role for a number of years with a total of 9 seasons until the show, unfortunately, got canceled.
Jason then managed to score bigger roles in Hollywood working on movies such as Alvin and the Chipmunks, where he also bagged himself a leading role as the main character ‘Dave’. Jason has surprisingly voiced both a hero and a villain in Disney films - he played the voice of the title character in Underdog and was the voice of maniacal madman "Syndrome" in Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles.
MIKE VALLELY
Starring in the legendary movie: Paul Blart: Mall Cop, alongside famous actor - Kevin James. Mike Vallely took on the role of a skater outlaw, in this movie, he was a part of this weird action sports gang of robbers that would shred the place as they terrorize the staff (Kevin James in particular) and steal an abundance of items and cash.
The movie is highly recommended as it is too funny to ignore! Other films that Mike has been involved with include, xXx (starring The Rock), and The Hangover, where he can be seen handing over a package to the boys while speeding down the highway hanging out of the van sliding doors.
Editor's note: Reader our Interview with Micke Valley on his Cariuma shoe collab here.
ROB DYRDEK
Everyone is pretty familiar with Rob these days whether you are into skating or not, he's everywhere! His most popular appearances are on his hit TV show: Ridiculousness (MTV).
He has also starred in such movies as Street Dreams (which he was also the writer, director, and casting agent for), Rob & Big which happened to be another hit TV show and was a spin-off from his DC Shoes part back in 2003 where Rob introduced Big Black (RIP) as his personal security guard to deal with security guards in order to get shit done and get tricks on film at the more difficult spots to skate.
These days, Rob is seen and heard mostly while hosting the successful contest series of which he is also the proud founder - Street League, which is a series of intense skate contests which can lead successful riders onto life-changing cash prizes and chances to advance onto further contests that can potentially land you in The Olympic Qualifiers.
RYAN SHECKLER
Ryan Sheckler was the original prodigy skateboarder but his claim to fame skyrocketed after his reality TV show: Life of Ryan which took off in 2007. He had then appeared in Hollywood movies such as Tooth Fairy and Street Dreams (as mentioned above in Rob Dyrdek's paragraph).
Ever since appearing on TV, Ryan is still one of the most famous skateboarders to this day, training for The Olympics and riding for companies such as Plan B, Independent, Etnies, Red Bull, Nixon, CCS and Oakley.
AUSTIN AMELIO
Austin Amelio is a skateboarder from Austin, Texas, and is best known for his role as Dwight on the TV show The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead and his role as Nesbit on Everybody Wants Some!!.
Austin had filmed a street part around Austin, Texas The Devil's Toy. He was sponsored by No Comply Skate Shop and was hooked up by Osiris shoes on the flow team. Amelio at one point scored a sponsorship from Karl Watson's brand: Organika and more recently appeared on The Nine Club, which is famously hosted by Chris Roberts, Roger Bagley, and Kelly Hart. He also has an interview in Transworld where he goes into the details of his life of acting and skating.
