This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(August 2016) |
Jason Mewes | |
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Born | Jason Edward Mewes June 12, 1974 Highlands, New Jersey, U.S. |
Occupation(s) | Actor, comedian, film producer, MC |
Years active | 1994–present |
Spouse | Jordan Monsanto (m. 2009) |
Children | 2 |
Jason Edward Mewes (born June 12, 1974) is an American actor, comedian, film producer, and podcaster. He is best known for playing Jay, the vocal half of the duo Jay and Silent Bob, in longtime friend Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse franchise.
Mewes was born on June 12, 1974, in Highlands, New Jersey, [1] and grew up in a working-class neighborhood. He never knew his father, and his mother was an ex-con and a drug addict. Relates Mewes: "She used to check into hotels and take TVs and sell them... I guess it really ain't funny, but it's weird because it was so fucked up... She used to steal mail. I used to drive around with her and she'd pull up and make me reach into mailboxes. It really wasn't pleasant." Although this exposure to drugs at first served to make him averse to them, he eventually began using them after graduating [2] from Henry Hudson Regional High School. [3]
His best friend was future filmmaker Kevin Smith, who described Mewes this way: "[Jason]'s the kind of dude you know for five minutes and he whips his cock out. I was like, somebody should put this dude in a movie. I just wanted to see if anybody outside our group of friends finds him as funny as I do." [2]
While working toward a career in roofing, Mewes made his film debut in Smith's 1994 film Clerks as Jay. [2] The film was a success, resulting in Mewes becoming closely identified with the role, which he also played in Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), and Clerks II (2006). He supplied Jay's voice in the short-lived Clerks: The Animated Series . He, along with Kevin Smith, performed in the films Scream 3 (2000) and Bottoms Up (2006); they appeared on the Canadian television series Degrassi: The Next Generation , in two episodes of a three-part story arc in which he and Smith film a new addition to Smith's View Askew films titled Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh? at Degrassi Community School. They appear again on Degrassi (in a two-part episode), at the premiere of Jay and Silent Bob go Canadian, Eh? in Canada. Mewes, Smith, and Degrassi star Stacie Mistysyn made the cover of the January 29, 2005, issue of Canadian TV Guide . [4]
In 1998, he starred as "Gary Lamb – Ground Activist" in a series of Nike commercials directed by Smith. From 2010 to 2012, Mewes was cast as "Jimmy the Janitor" for 26 episodes of the Canadian television series Todd and the Book of Pure Evil .
Mewes starred in the horror film Breath of Hate (2015), where he played a romantic love interest to a dysfunctional escort. [5] Mewes co-starred in Smith's 2008 film Zack and Miri Make a Porno , in which Mewes, in a scene near the end of the film, appears fully nude.
Mewes co-hosts a weekly podcast with Smith called Jay & Silent Bob Get Old in which Mewes discusses his former drug addiction issues.
Mewes is co-executive producer on Smith's Hulu-exclusive series Spoilers with Kevin Smith . [6]
Mewes co-produced the 2013 animated movie Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie with his wife Jordan Monsanto, which was based on the Bluntman and Chronic comic book that Smith wrote as a companion piece to 2001's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
Mewes starred in episode 3 of the sixth season of Hawaii Five-0 as Eddie Brooks. [7]
Mewes' directorial debut, Madness in the Method , in which he also starred, premiered August 2, 2019, in the U.S.
Mewes married Jordan Monsanto in a civil ceremony on January 30, 2009, with a larger wedding planned later that May. [8] Their daughter, Logan Lee, was born on April 1, 2015. [9] Their second child, Lucien Lee, was born on February 12, 2023. [10]
Mewes has openly talked about his struggles with substance abuse, which began in his early 20s. He first began using heroin shortly after appearing in Mallrats and was soon addicted; he was under the influence while filming Chasing Amy and Dogma. Kevin Smith entered Mewes into the first of a series of drug rehabilitation clinics in 1997 after noticing Mewes would randomly fall asleep, which he initially attributed to narcolepsy. Mewes sobered up until about a week into the Dogma shoot, when he learned he could pass his urine tests by abstaining from drugs for three days beforehand and then using drugs the rest of the week. In another attempt to get clean, Mewes moved in with his mother, who gave him OxyContin to ease the withdrawal symptoms. [2]
In 1999, Mewes was arrested in New Jersey for heroin possession. His probation sentence included community service, drug counseling, and regular court appearances in New Jersey. In late 2001, after he failed to make a court appearance, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Smith had taken Mewes in to live with him and his wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, but evicted him after catching him using drugs again. During this period, Mewes stole Smith's ATM card, spent $1,100 of Smith's money, and had heroin shipped to the hotel where a press junket for Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was being held. Smith had Mewes check into various rehab facilities, including Promises in Malibu, where his visit coincided with frequent costar Ben Affleck's stay for alcoholism. These attempts were unsuccessful for Mewes, whose problem was so severe that Smith was unable to give him a part in 2004's Jersey Girl . [2]
Mewes continued to use drugs, and has related that he decided to turn himself in and get help after waking up on Christmas morning in 2002 to find that he had started a fire after falling asleep near a lit candle while on heroin. Estranged from Smith, Mewes returned to New Jersey, and on April 1, 2003, he surrendered himself at a Freehold, New Jersey, court and pleaded guilty to probation violation charges. He was ordered to enter a six-month rehab program. [11] In a July 2006 interview, he reported that he was sober, and harbored no urges to drink or use drugs. [2] He relapsed in 2009 after having surgery. [12]
To help Mewes maintain his sobriety, Smith created the Jay & Silent Bob Get Old podcast as a "weekly intervention" to let Mewes talk through his history of substance abuse. In a May 2014 Reddit Q&A thread with fans, Mewes stated that he had been sober since July 1, 2010. [13]
† | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1994 | Clerks | Jay | |
1995 | Mallrats | Jay | |
1996 | Drawing Flies | Az | |
1997 | Chasing Amy | Jay | |
1999 | Dogma | Jay | |
Tail Lights Fade | uncredited | ||
The Blair Clown Project | Witness #3 | ||
Spilt Milk | |||
2000–2002 | Clerks: The Animated Series | Jay | 6 episodes |
2000 | Scream 3 | Jay | cameo |
Vulgar | Tuott the Basehead | ||
2001 | Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Jay | |
2002 | R.S.V.P. | Terry | |
High Times' Potluck | Guy | ||
Hot Rush | |||
2003 | Pauly Shore Is Dead | Jay the MC | as Jay Mewes |
2004 | Powder: Up Here | Evil Villain | |
2005 | Degrassi: The Next Generation | Himself | 4 episodes |
My Big Fat Independent Movie | Answering Machine | voice | |
The Pleasure Drivers | Counter Monkey | ||
2006 | Clerks II | Jay | |
Feast | Edgy Cat/Jason Mewes | ||
National Lampoon's TV: The Movie | Carrie | ||
Bottoms Up | Owen Peadman | ||
Jack's Law | Bobby Mewes | ||
2007 | Netherbeast Incorporated | Waxy Dan | |
Gone Baby Gone | "Thanks" during the end credits | ||
The Tripper | Joey | ||
2008 | Bitten | Jack | video |
Zack and Miri Make a Porno | Lester | ||
Tattoos: A Scarred History | Himself | ||
Fanboys | Himself | cameo | |
2009 | Tom Cool | ||
Midgets vs. Mascots | Jason | uncredited | |
Shoot the Hero | Nate | ||
Mitch and Stu's Quest | Stu | ||
The Science of Cool | Coach Cambria | [14] | |
Degrassi Goes Hollywood | Himself | TV movie | |
2010–2012 | Todd and the Book of Pure Evil | Jimmy the Janitor | TV series regular |
2010 | Repo | T.J. | |
Noah's Ark: The New Beginning | Ham | voice | |
Breath of Hate | Ned | ||
Big Money Rustlas | Bucky | ||
2011 | Silent But Deadly | Thomas Capper | |
2012 | Cousin Sarah | Anton | |
Spoilers with Kevin Smith | Himself | also co-executive producer | |
Noobz | Andy Clifton | ||
The Newest Pledge | Professor Street | ||
2013 | Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! | Jay | voice, also producer |
Vigilante Diaries | Mike Hanover | web series, 2 episodes, also producer | |
2014 | Devil's Tower | Sid | |
Randal's Monday | Jay Dealer | ||
2015 | Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery | Worker #1 | voice |
2015 | Hawaii Five-0 | Eddie Brooks | 1 episode |
2015–2016 | Triptank | Jimmy Caller | voice, 2 episodes |
2016–2018 | The Flash | Humvee Guy Jay the Security Guard | 2 episodes |
2016 | Bling | Kit | voice [15] |
Shooting Clerks | Wes Jameson | ||
Yoga Hosers | Rogue Cop | also producer [16] | |
Vigilante Diaries | Mike Hanover | ||
Hollyweed | Rolo | ||
2018 | Aah! Roach! | Deek | |
Weight | Bogart | ||
2019 | Madness in the Method | Jay | also director |
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot | Jay | ||
2021; 2024 | Masters of the Universe: Revelation | Stinkor, Baddrah | voice; 2 Episodes |
2022 | KillRoy Was Here | [17] | |
Clerks III | Jay | ||
TBA | Killing Mary Sue† | TBA | Post-production [18] |
Year | Game | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | Himself | voice; video game |
2020 | Fallout 76 | Mort | Wastelanders expansion |
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American director, producer, writer, and actor. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film Clerks (1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and acted in as the character Silent Bob of stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob, characters who also appeared in Smith's later films Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997), Dogma (1999), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Clerks II (2006), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), and Clerks III (2022) which are set primarily in his home state of New Jersey. While not strictly sequential, the films have crossover plot elements, character references, and a shared canon known as the "View Askewniverse", named after Smith's production company View Askew Productions, which he co-founded with Scott Mosier.
Dogma is a 1999 American fantasy comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, who also stars with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, George Carlin, Linda Fiorentino, Janeane Garofalo, Chris Rock, Jason Lee, Salma Hayek, Bud Cort, Alan Rickman, Alanis Morissette in her feature film debut, and Jason Mewes. It is the fourth film in Smith's View Askewniverse series. Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson, stars of the first Askewniverse film Clerks, appear in the film, as do Smith regulars Scott Mosier, Dwight Ewell, Walt Flanagan, and Bryan Johnson.
Jay and Silent Bob are fictional characters portrayed by American actors Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, respectively. They appear in the View Askewniverse, a fictional universe used in most of the films, comics, and television programs written and produced by Smith.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 American satirical stoner buddy comedy film written, co-edited, and directed by Kevin Smith and produced and co-edited by Scott Mosier. The film is the fifth set in the View Askewniverse, a growing collection of characters and settings that developed out of Smith's cult-favorite Clerks. It stars Jason Mewes and Smith respectively as the two eponymous characters. The film also stars Shannon Elizabeth, Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Will Ferrell, Eliza Dushku, Ali Larter, and Chris Rock, among many others, most of which in cameo appearances. The title and logo for Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back are direct references to The Empire Strikes Back.
Clerks is a 1994 American black-and-white comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith in his feature directorial debut. Starring Smith along with Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonauer, Jason Mewes, and Scott Mosier, it presents a day in the lives of store clerks Dante Hicks (O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Anderson) as well as their acquaintances. It is the first of Smith's View Askewniverse films, and introduces several recurring characters, notably Jay and Silent Bob.
Mallrats is a 1995 American buddy comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith and starring Jason Lee, Jeremy London, Shannen Doherty, Claire Forlani, Priscilla Barnes and Michael Rooker. It is the second film in the View Askewniverse following 1994's Clerks.
View Askew Productions is an American film and television production company founded by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier in 1994. Actors Ben Affleck, Jeff Anderson, Matt Damon, Chris Rock, Walter Flanagan, Bryan Johnson, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Brian O'Halloran and Ethan Suplee are people that frequently appear in projects under the View Askew banner.
Scott A. Mosier is an American film producer, director and editor best known for his work with director Kevin Smith, with whom he occasionally co-hosts the weekly podcast, SModcast.
Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash is a comic book store owned by filmmaker Kevin Smith, and named after the fictional duo portrayed by Smith and Jason Mewes in Smith's View Askewniverse films. Merchandise includes comic books, comic-related merchandise, and View Askew film-related items. The store is located at 65 Broad Street in Red Bank, New Jersey.
The View Askewniverse is a fictional universe created by writer/director Kevin Smith, featured in several films, comics and a television series; it is named for Smith's production company, View Askew Productions. The characters Jay and Silent Bob appear in almost all the View Askewniverse media, and characters from one story often reappear or are referred to in others. Smith often casts the same actors for multiple characters in the universe, sometimes even in the same film; Smith himself portrays the character of Silent Bob.
Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, sometimes credited as Jennifer Schwalbach, is an American actress, podcaster and former reporter for USA Today.
Walter Flanagan is a former comic book store manager, reality television personality, podcaster, and comic book artist. Flanagan is a long-time friend of Kevin Smith, and it was Flanagan who turned Smith on to comic books. He formerly managed Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Bryan Lee Johnson is an American podcaster, actor, television personality, screenwriter and comic book writer associated with filmmaker Kevin Smith and the View Askewniverse. He is best known by his local fame in New Jersey and appearances in Smith's New Jersey films as comic book store owner Steve-Dave Pulasti. He was also the basis for the Clerks character Randal Graves.
SModcast Podcast Network is a podcast network owned by Kevin Smith. The network was started in January 2010 to host the podcast SModcast alongside the popular Tell 'Em Steve-Dave! and Highlands: A Peephole History.
My Boring Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith is the second book composed of writings by filmmaker Kevin Smith, the first being Silent Bob Speaks.
Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie! is a 2013 American adult animated superhero comedy film written by Kevin Smith, directed by Steve Stark, and produced by Jason Mewes and Jordan Monsanto. The film's script was adapted from the Bluntman And Chronic comic book story originally written by Smith as a companion piece to his 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and it is the seventh film in the View Askewniverse.
Jay & Silent Bob Get Old is a podcast featuring filmmaker Kevin Smith and actor Jason Mewes. The podcast features Jason Mewes talking about his past drug addictions and sexual encounters. The podcast has toured across the United States and internationally to Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. iTunes named the podcast one of the best podcasts of 2010.
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot is a 2019 American satirical buddy stoner comedy film written, directed, edited by, and starring Kevin Smith. A sequel to Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, it is the eighth film in the View Askewniverse. The film also stars Jason Mewes, and features cameos from Brian O'Halloran, Jason Lee, Justin Long, Shannon Elizabeth, Rosario Dawson, Val Kilmer, Melissa Benoist, Craig Robinson, Tommy Chong, Chris Hemsworth, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck.
Clerks III is a 2022 American black comedy-drama film written, directed, and edited by Kevin Smith and starring Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Trevor Fehrman, Austin Zajur, Jason Mewes, Rosario Dawson and Smith. It serves as a sequel to the 1994 and 2006 Clerks films, and is the ninth overall feature film set in the View Askewniverse. In the film, Randal Graves, after surviving a massive heart attack, enlists his friends and fellow clerks Dante Hicks, Elias Grover, and Jay and Silent Bob to make a movie about their lives at the Quick Stop Convenience store that started it all.