Rich Wilkes

Richard "Rich" Wilkes (born 1966) is an American filmmaker and musician. His work is noted for its rooting in contemporary music and youth culture.

Rich Wilkes as the "Corduroy Rocker" in Airheads

Works

As Screenwriter

Wilkes' major-studio debut was as screenwriter of the 1994 film Airheads. The story revolves around a group of loser musicians called The Lone Rangers who take a radio station hostage to get their song played on the radio. Airheads was directed by Michael Lehmann and distributed by 20th Century Fox.

This was followed by a co-writer credit (alongside director James Melkonian) for the 1994 comedy The Stoned Age, set in the stoner subculture of Southern California during the 1970s.

The same writing and directing team then collaborated with The Jerky Boys to create the 1995 production The Jerky Boys: The Movie, featuring the eponymous comedians (self-described as "low-lifes from Queens") as New York City youths who get into trouble with the Mafia when one of their prank calls leads them into a money laundering business.

Wilkes is credited as the sole screenwriter for the 2002 action-adventure film XXX and a "based on characters created by" credit as being as the creator of the XXX franchise.

Wilkes co-wrote the Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt, based on the New York Times bestselling book by Neil Strauss and Mötley Crüe. The film took 17 years to get made. David Fincher was initially attached to direct in 2004, followed by Larry Charles in 2008.

As Writer/Director

In 1995, Wilkes debuted as a director with Glory Daze, a semi-autobiographical tale based on his experiences as a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz.[1]

Other Film Work

Wilkes has also appeared as an actor in the majority of his productions, primarily in minor roles. He has also appeared as himself in several documentaries, including the 1998 production Independent's Day, 2003's The Blockbuster Imperative and 2006's Punk Like Me.

As Musician

Wilkes was the lead singer of the "world's original punk rock mariachi band" Carne Asada. The band was put together as a prank to get on the Vans Warped Tour. The story of Carne Asada was told in the award winning music documentary Punk Like Me.

Poster for the music documentary Punk Like Me (2006)

Personal life

Wilkes was born in Princeton, New Jersey. He attended El Camino High School in Oceanside, California. He obtained a Double Inverted BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz, then studied screenwriting at the American Film Institute.

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRoleNotes
2020 Bulletproof 2 Co-Writer and Story by
2019 The Dirt Co-Writer
2017XXX: Return of Xander CageWriter (characters)
2013XXX (short)Writer (characters)
2008Art House, Vol. 1: Basic Shapes and AnimalsExecutive Producer
2006Punk Like MeSelf, Rico SuaveActor, Writer, Executive Producer
2005XXX: State of the UnionWriter (characters)
2003Men of Action (short)The DirectorActor
2002XXXTall GuyCreator, Writer, Actor
1995Glory DazeWriter, Director
The Jerky Boys: The MovieCo-Writer
1994The Stöned Age Co-Writer, Actor
AirheadsCorduroy Rocker Writer, Actor

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003Vegas Dick (pilot)Writer, Executive Producer
2001Beer Money (movie)Nick the Hollywood SnakeWriter, Actor, Executive Producer
1999Fear of a Punk Planet (series)Director (pilot)

References

Xxx from New Jersey

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