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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.
Jason Mewes | |
|---|---|
 Mewes at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2020 | |
| 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 |
Early life
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]
Career
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.
Personal life
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]
Substance abuse
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]
Filmography
| † | 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] |
Video games
| Year | Game | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | Himself | voice; video game |
| 2020 | Fallout 76 | Mort | Wastelanders expansion |
References
- ^ "Jason Mewes - Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on July 19, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Spivnes, Christine (July 14, 2006). "The drug addled life of Jason Mewes". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 5, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Eleanor. "Outtakes", The Home News, July 2, 1995. Accessed November 20, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Jason Mewes, co-star of Clerks and Mallrats, helped Smith present the scholarships. He, too, is a Henry Hudson graduate, and the 'Mewes' were from pals in the audience."
- ^ TV Guide Canada. January 29, 2005.
- ^ Barton, Steve (July 6, 2008). "Trailer Debut: Sean Cain's Breath of Hate". Dread Central. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ "Girls Just Wanna Have Guns". Spoilers with Kevin Smith. Season 1. Episode 1. June 4, 2012. Hulu.
- ^ Byrne, Craig (October 9, 2015). "Tonight on Hawaii Five-0: A Chilling Storm". KSiteTV. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
- ^ "Mewes Marries". Celebrity Weddings. February 18, 2009. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ Webber, Stephanie (April 2, 2015). "Jason Mewes Welcomes First Child With Wife Jordan Monsanto: See the First Photo of Their Baby Girl". Us Weekly. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ Slater, Georgia (February 20, 2023). "Jason Mewes and Wife Jordan Monsanto Welcome Baby No. 2, Son Lucien Lee — See the Photos!". People. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
- ^ Susman, Gary (April 3, 2003). "Silent Bob's Jay resurfaces, film crew in tow". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ Leatherman, Benjamin (January 12, 2012). "Jason Mewes Talks Kevin Smith, Podcasting, Sobriety, Jay and Silent Bob, and Nicole Richey". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ Mewes, Jason (May 7, 2014). "Hi, I'm Jay (Mewes) and this is my heterosexual life-mate, Chatty Kev (Smith). Snootchie Bootchies, Citizens! We put things in our mouths for money!". Reddit. Archived from the original on May 11, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
- ^ Tyler, Josh (April 5, 2009). "Jason Mewes Joins The Science Of Cool". Cinemablend. Archived from the original on August 15, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ Leane, Rob (March 4, 2016). "Jason Mewes interview: Bling, Clerks III, MallBrats, superheroes". Den of Geek!. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ Leane, Rob (March 2, 2016). "MallBrats to film this year, Clerks III possibly late 2017". Den of Geek!. Archived from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
- ^ Collinson, Gary (April 6, 2022). "Kevin Smith to sell horror anthology KillRoy Was Here as NFTs, new trailer released". Flickering Myth. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (September 27, 2024). "Sierra McCormick & Dermot Mulroney Leading Action Caper 'Killing Mary Sue' With Bleiberg Launching Sales; First Look Revealed". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
Further reading
- Smith, Kevin (25 September 2007). My Boring Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith. Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-84576-538-5.
External links
- Jason Mewes at IMDb
- Interviews Askew: Jason Mewes (Interview from March 14, 1999)
- "Jay & Silent Bob Get Old Podcast" Podcast with Smith and Mewes discussing Mewes and his addiction.