Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and Jackass star Steve-O have boarded Sk8 or Die: The Lee Ralph Story, a new scripted series on the life of the New Zealand skateboarder who reached the peak of the sport in the 1980s before abruptly vanishing from the scene. The show, which is currently in active development, is conceived as a biographical anthology series akin to Ryan Murphy’s Monster, which each new season exploring the life of another skating legend.
Auckland-based outfit Tavake will produce Sk8 or Die with Hawk and Steve-O as executive producers. Vinnie Bennett, who played Young Dom in F9, will star as Lee Ralph, with Oscar-nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider, FBI: Most Wanted) as Lee’s sister and life-long partner in crime, Kim Ralph.
The series will follow Lee’s childhood in New Zealand, growing up the son of a heroin-dealing father and his rise to becoming a skating pro in the late 1980s, often skating barefoot. At the peak of his fame, as one of the sport’s top stars, he suddenly dropped out.
“Lee Ralph was a truly unique character, and that is saying a lot in the eclectic world of skateboarding,” Hawk said in a statement. “His skating was powerful and smooth, while his appearance and attitude was unapologetically grimy. But he always wore a smile and we were always stoked to see him.”
Sky New Zealand Originals has commissioned the series, co-written by Tavake principals Tom Hern and Halaifonua (Nua) Finau, who will also serve as showrunners, with Hern directing select episodes alongside Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe (Two Distant Strangers, HBO’s BS High). Free and Roe will also executive produce. Julian Arahanga will act as lead producer.
“I’ve known Lee for nearly 20 years. He’s a dear friend and one of a kind,” says Hern. “I’ve always known about his skating achievements and his somewhat mythical antics for years, but it wasn’t until researching this project that Nua and I learned about all the other crazy, incredible aspects to his story. In addition to the Forrest Gump-like twists and turns of his life, Lee and his family’s story is very touching and inspiring. We can’t wait to bring it to the screen.”
Tavake is best known for its sex-work dramedy series Madam, starring Rachel Griffiths and Martin Henderson, which won the award for best creation at this year’s Monte-Carlo television festival. The series is being distributed globally by Fifth Season. Tavake will be shopping Sk8 or Die to potential co-producers and financing partners at the Mipcom international television market in Cannes later this month.
Tom Hern and Nua Finau are represented by Kaplan and Perrone; Martin Desmond Roe is a partner and co-founder of Dirty Robber and repped by WME and 3Arts; Travon Free is represented by AGI Entertainment Media & Management; Vinnie Bennett is repped by Johnson & Laird Management and Anonymous Content; Keisha Castle-Hughes is repped by Johnson & Laird Management, Innovative Artists & Industry Entertainment; Steve-O is repped by attorney Jeff Bernstein and Empirical.
