Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off Trailer: Balancing Fame And Family Isn't Easy

Tony Hawk never expected to be famous, according to the new trailer for the upcoming documentary "Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off." But he is. If you grew up when I did, you might know Tony Hawk from his skateboarding prowess. You definitely know him from his video games. If you're younger than me, you might have read his very funny accounts of people recognizing him (or almost-but-not-quite recognizing him) on Twitter. 

Getting coffee in nyc
Barista: “You look familiar. Are you that skateboard guy?”
I am a skateboard guy.
“I knew it. Can I get a photo?”
Absolutely.
“Do you want to check it so you can approve?”
Nah, I’m old. What you see is what you get.

— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) February 22, 2022

The film about the skateboarding legend comes to us from photographer and filmmaker Sam Jones, and is executive produced by Mel Eslyn and the Duplass brothers. It's going to be premiering at SXSW on March 12, 2022, so if you get a chance to go, pretend not to know him and get on his social feed! Kidding! Hawk will actually be at the festival in person with Jones.

At @MammothMountain, waiting at a jump for my daughter (because I’m the filmer).
Guy nearby: sorry I keep staring but you look just like Tony Hawk
Me: I’ve heard that
His friend: we should take a selfie and tell people it’s really him. I did that with another celebrity lookalike

— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) January 16, 2022

The trailer is really compelling, and I'll admit, I didn't know much about his issues with fame. He was already famous when I learned about him, and videos of his work blew my mind. After playing one of his video games, and every surface starts to look like something you could do tricks on. (You, not me. I'd break my neck.) Check out the trailer for the doc below.

He seems like a lovely person, and I'm really excited to learn more about his rise to fame and how he dealt with it. Here is the official info for "Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off."

"Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off" is a wide-ranging, definitive look at Hawk's life and iconic career, and his relationship with the sport with which he's been synonymous for decades. Hawk, born in San Diego, California, is a pioneer of modern vertical skating and one of the most influential skateboarders of all time. The documentary features unprecedented access, never-before-seen footage, and interviews with Hawk, and prominent figures in the sport including Stacy Peralta, Rodney Mullen, Mike McGill, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Neil Blender, Andy MacDonald, Duane Peters, Sam Mortimer, and Christian Hosoi. 

At coffee shop this morning:
Girl behind counter: (not joking) “has anyone told you that you look like Tony Hawk?”
Me: yes, so much that I sometimes write about it.
Her: haha, here’s your coffee
Other girl by exit: (leans toward me as I walk out): “you really do look like him”

— Tony Hawk (@tonyhawk) December 10, 2021

I'd like to say I'm a bigger skateboarding fan than I am, but I'm not familiar with the people they're talking about. I plan to be, though, after watching this. The premiere screening at SXSW is March 12, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. CST at Paramount Theater, with an online screening March 13, 2022 at 9 a.m. CST. It will also be streaming on HBO Max starting April 5, 2022. I hope this doesn't inspire me to pick up a skateboard, because the only thing that's sure to come from that is a medical bill.