While Oscar-nominated actor Jonah Hill is known for his comedic roles in movies such as Superbad and the 21 Jump Street series, as well as dramatic turns in Moneyball and The Wolf of Wall Street, he is in recent times known for having developed a newfound passion in surfing.
The once heavyset actor, who is also a jiu-jitsu enthusiast, got into surfing in 2019 after being introduced to the sport by director Spike Jonze and rapper Mike Diamond of the Beastie Boys.
Hill lived most of his life in southern California but never once thought of hitting the waves. In his Instagram post, he said, “Been terrified to surf my whole life. Totally random fear and at the same time always been a secret dream of mine,” he said. “Turned out to be one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had.”
Nowadays, when he is not making movies, he is seen more donning a wetsuit and surfing the beaches of Malibu with his foamie, which he named “Ron Burgundy.”
Having started surfing late in life, Hill proved to be an adequate surfer, showing great patience while waiting for the right wave to arrive. He is seen jumping up to the board and maintaining good balance while riding a wave until he hits the shoreline.
Hill was also videoed committing the occasional faux pas, like when he snaked another surfer by paddling his board on his belly and accidentally stealing the wave.
While this may cause some surfers to make some chide remarks, including a sticker once posted in San Onofre that read, “Jonah Hill Ruined Surfing,” Hill is unperturbed in pursuing his newfound passion. “I will never stop doing things that make me happy no matter how insecure my happiness makes you,” he said.
As a matter of fact, Hill is now so entrenched in the whole surfing culture by creating a group called Surf Jews California with his buddies Jonze and Diamond as a response to the Surf Nazi culture that developed in Malibu in the 60s and 70s.
Hill explained that this group arose jokingly from the rebellious spirit of young surfers who were the children of American soldiers fighting the Nazis in Europe.
To counter the Nazi imagery found in this culture, the Surf Jews California developed a logo of their own with the Star of David and yin-yang symbols as a joke. “It’s really fun and funny and silly and not meant to be serious in the slightest,” he said.
Hill also became involved with Sarah Brady, a professional surfer and lawyer, in 2021. The relationship didn’t end well, however. Brady accused Hill of emotional abuse via Instagram by posting screenshots of text messages between the couple that showed Hill’s jealousy and controlling behavior.
The actor admitted that he has been struggling with his mental health for 20 years. He has deleted his social media accounts and has stopped promoting his works publicly as a result of anxiety attacks.
With surfing, Jonah Hill can certainly find the mental stability he seeks. It not only promotes self-esteem but also improves the mood, mind, and emotions.
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