Editing Jason Mewes

{{short description|American actor (born 1974)}}
{{pp-blp|small=yes}}<!--DO NOT ADD DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD WITHOUT ADDING A REFERENCE.-->
{{Infobox person
| image         = Jason Mewes Photo Op GalaxyCon Richmond in 2020.jpg
| image_size    =
| caption       = Mewes at [[GalaxyCon]] Richmond in 2020
| birth_name    = Jason Edward Mewes
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1974|6|12}}
| birth_place   = [[Highlands, New Jersey]], U.S.
| years_active  = 1994–present
| death_date    =
| death_place   =
| other_names   =
| occupation    = Actor, [[comedian]], [[film producer]], [[Master of ceremonies|MC]]
| website       = <!--[http://jmewes.com/ Official site]-->
| spouse        = {{marriage|Jordan Monsanto|2009}}
| children      = 2
}}
'''Jason Edward Mewes''' (born June 12, 1974) is an American actor, comedian, film producer, and [[podcast]]er. 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.

==Early life==
Mewes was born on June 12, 1974, in [[Highlands, New Jersey]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Jason Mewes - Biography |website=[[Yahoo! Movies]] |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/person/jason-mewes/biography.html |access-date=May 1, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719145402/https://movies.yahoo.com/person/jason-mewes/biography.html |archive-date=July 19, 2014}}</ref> 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<ref name=EW>{{cite magazine |last=Spivnes |first=Christine |date=July 14, 2006 |title=The drug addled life of Jason Mewes |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |url=https://ew.com/article/2006/07/14/drug-addled-life-jason-mewes/ |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=September 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905222431/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1213646,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> from [[Henry Hudson Regional High School]].<ref>O'Sullivan, Eleanor. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/113404397/kevin-smith-and-jason-mewes-of-henry/ "Outtakes"], ''[[Home News Tribune|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."</ref>

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."<ref name=EW/>

==Career==
While working toward a career in roofing, Mewes made his film debut in Smith's 1994 film ''[[Clerks (film)|Clerks]]'' as Jay.<ref name=EW/> 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 (film)|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 film)|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 Askewniverse|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]]''.<ref>{{cite book |date=January 29, 2005 |title=[[TV Guide (Canada)|TV Guide Canada]]}}</ref>

In 1998, he starred as "Gary Lamb – Ground Activist" in a series of [[Nike, Inc.|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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Barton |first=Steve |date=July 6, 2008 |title=Trailer Debut: Sean Cain's Breath of Hate |website=[[Dread Central]] |url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/18215/trailer-debut-sean-cain-s-breath-of-hate/ |access-date=February 28, 2018}}</ref> 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 (Hulu series)|Spoilers with Kevin Smith]]''.<ref>{{cite episode |series=Spoilers with Kevin Smith |airdate=June 4, 2012 |title=Girls Just Wanna Have Guns |network=[[Hulu]] |season=1 |number=1 |url=https://www.hulu.com/spoilers-with-kevin-smith}}</ref>

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 (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]'' as Eddie Brooks.<ref>{{cite web |last=Byrne |first=Craig |date=October 9, 2015 |title=Tonight on Hawaii Five-0: A Chilling Storm |website=KSiteTV |url=http://www.ksitetv.com/hawaii-five-o/tonight-on-hawaii-five-0-a-chilling-storm/81657/ |access-date=October 10, 2015}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 18, 2009 |title=Mewes Marries |work=Celebrity Weddings |url=http://www.celebweddings.com/jasonmewes/mewes-marries |access-date=September 12, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002143838/http://www.celebweddings.com/jasonmewes/mewes-marries |archive-date=October 2, 2011}}</ref> Their daughter, Logan Lee, was born on April 1, 2015.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Webber |first=Stephanie |date=April 2, 2015 |title=Jason Mewes Welcomes First Child With Wife Jordan Monsanto: See the First Photo of Their Baby Girl |magazine=[[Us Weekly]] |url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/jason-mewes-welcomes-first-child-with-wife-jordan-monsanto-first-pic-201524 |access-date=February 28, 2018}}</ref> Their second child, Lucien Lee, was born on February 12, 2023.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Slater |first=Georgia |date=February 20, 2023 |title=Jason Mewes and Wife Jordan Monsanto Welcome Baby No. 2, Son Lucien Lee — See the Photos! |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |url=https://people.com/parents/jason-mewes-and-wife-jordan-monsanto-welcome-second-baby-photos/ |access-date=September 15, 2023}}</ref>

===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 [[Oxycodone|OxyContin]] to ease the withdrawal symptoms.<ref name=EW/>

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 [[Automated teller machine|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 Treatment Centers|Promises]] in [[Malibu, California|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 (2004 film)|Jersey Girl]]''.<ref name=EW/>

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 Borough, New Jersey|Freehold, New Jersey]], court and pleaded guilty to probation violation charges. He was ordered to enter a six-month rehab program.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Susman |first=Gary |date=April 3, 2003 |title=Silent Bob's Jay resurfaces, film crew in tow |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/04/03/silent-bobs-jay-resurfaces-film-crew-tow/ |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714202742/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,440256,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In a July 2006 interview, he reported that he was sober, and harbored no urges to drink or use drugs.<ref name=EW/> He relapsed in 2009 after having surgery.<ref>{{cite news |last=Leatherman |first=Benjamin |date=January 12, 2012 |title=Jason Mewes Talks Kevin Smith, Podcasting, Sobriety, Jay and Silent Bob, and Nicole Richey |newspaper=[[Phoenix New Times]] |url=http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/jackalope/2012/01/jason_mewes_talks_kevin_smith.php |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=May 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501071829/http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/jackalope/2012/01/jason_mewes_talks_kevin_smith.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|author=Mewes, Jason|date=May 7, 2014 |title=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! |website=[[Reddit]] |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/24ykhj/hi_im_jay_mewes_and_this_is_my_heterosexual/ |access-date=July 5, 2020|archive-date=May 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140511021157/https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/24ykhj/hi_im_jay_mewes_and_this_is_my_heterosexual/}}</ref>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Key
| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Not yet released}}
|Denotes works that have not yet been released
|}
<!--DO NOT ADD DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD WITHOUT ADDING A REFERENCE.-->
{| class="sortable wikitable"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
|1994
|''[[Clerks (film)|Clerks]]''
|Jay
|
|-
|1995
|''[[Mallrats]]''
|Jay
|
|-
|1996
|''[[Drawing Flies]]''
|Az
|
|-
|1997
|''[[Chasing Amy]]''
|Jay
|
|-
|rowspan= "4" |1999
|''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]''
|Jay
|
|-
|''[[Tail Lights Fade]]''
|
|uncredited
|-
|''The Blair Clown Project''
|Witness #3
|
|-
|''Spilt Milk''
|
|
|-
|2000–2002
|''[[Clerks: The Animated Series]]''
|Jay
|6 episodes
|-
|rowspan= "2" |2000
|''[[Scream 3]]''
|Jay
|cameo
|-
|''[[Vulgar (movie)|Vulgar]]''
|Tuott the Basehead
|
|-
|2001
|''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]''
|Jay
|
|-
|rowspan= "3" |2002
|''[[R.S.V.P. (2002 film)|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
|
|-
|rowspan= "3" |2005
|''[[Degrassi: The Next Generation]]''
|Himself
|4 episodes
|-
|''[[My Big Fat Independent Movie]]''
|Answering Machine
|voice
|-
|''[[The Pleasure Drivers]]''
|Counter Monkey
|
|-
|rowspan= "5" |2006
|''[[Clerks II]]''
|Jay
|
|-
|''[[Feast (2005 film)|Feast]]''
|Edgy Cat/Jason Mewes
|
|-
|''[[National Lampoon's TV: The Movie]]''
|Carrie
|
|-
|''[[Bottoms Up (2006 film)|Bottoms Up]]''
|Owen Peadman
|
|-
|''[[Jack's Law]]''
|Bobby Mewes
|
|-
|rowspan= "3" |2007
|''[[Netherbeast Incorporated]]''
|Waxy Dan
|
|-
|''[[Gone Baby Gone]]''
|
|"Thanks" during the end credits
|-
|''[[The Tripper]]''
|Joey
|
|-
|rowspan= "4" |2008
|''[[Bitten (film)|Bitten]]''
|Jack
|video
|-
|''[[Zack and Miri Make a Porno]]''
|Lester
|
|-
|''Tattoos: A Scarred History''
|Himself
|
|-
|''[[Fanboys (2009 film)|Fanboys]]''
|Himself
|cameo
|-
|rowspan= "6" |2009
|''[[Tom Cool]]''
|
|
|-
|''[[Midgets vs. Mascots]]''
|Jason
|uncredited
|-
|''[[Shoot the Hero]]''
|Nate
|
|-
|''[[Mitch and Stu's Quest]]''
|Stu
|
|-
|''[[The Science of Cool]]''
|Coach Cambria
|<ref>{{cite web |last=Tyler |first=Josh |date=April 5, 2009 |title=Jason Mewes Joins The Science Of Cool |website=Cinemablend |url=http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Jason-Mewes-Joins-The-Science-Of-Cool-12636.html |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=August 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815193649/http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Jason-Mewes-Joins-The-Science-Of-Cool-12636.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|''[[Degrassi Goes Hollywood]]''
|Himself
|[[Television film|TV movie]]
|-
|2010–2012
|''[[Todd and the Book of Pure Evil]]''
|Jimmy the Janitor
|TV series regular
|-
|rowspan= "4" |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
|
|-
|rowspan= "4" |2012
|''Cousin Sarah''
|Anton
|
|-
|''[[Spoilers (Hulu series)|Spoilers with Kevin Smith]]''
|Himself
|also co-executive producer
|-
|''[[Noobz]]''
|Andy Clifton
|
|-
|''[[The Newest Pledge]]''
|Professor Street
|
|-
|rowspan= "2" |2013
|''[[Jay & Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie!]]''
|Jay
|voice, also producer
|-
|''[[Vigilante Diaries]]''
|Mike Hanover 
|web series, 2 episodes, also producer
|-
|rowspan= "2" |2014
|''[[Devil's Tower (film)|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 (2010 TV series)|Hawaii Five-0]]''
|Eddie Brooks
|1 episode
|-
|2015–2016
|''[[Triptank]]''
|Jimmy<br />Caller
|voice, 2 episodes
|-
|2016–2018
|''[[The Flash (2014 TV series)|The Flash]]''
|Humvee Guy<br />Jay the Security Guard
|2 episodes
|-
| rowspan="5" |2016
|''[[Bling (film)|Bling]]''
|Kit
|voice<ref>{{cite web |last=Leane |first=Rob |date=March 4, 2016 |title=Jason Mewes interview: Bling, Clerks III, MallBrats, superheroes |website=[[Den of Geek!]] |url=http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/jason-mewes/39169/jason-mewes-interview-bling-clerks-iii-mallbrats-superheroes |access-date=February 28, 2018}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Shooting Clerks]]''
|Wes Jameson
| 
|-
|''[[Yoga Hosers]]''
|Rogue Cop
|also producer<ref>{{cite web |last=Leane |first=Rob |date=March 2, 2016 |title=MallBrats to film this year, Clerks III possibly late 2017 |website=Den of Geek! |url=http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mallbrats/39158/mallbrats-to-film-this-year-clerks-iii-possibly-late-2017 |access-date=February 28, 2018 |archive-date=February 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227120829/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/mallbrats/39158/mallbrats-to-film-this-year-clerks-iii-possibly-late-2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|''[[Vigilante Diaries]]''
|Mike Hanover
|
|-
|''[[Hollyweed]]''
|Rolo
|
|-
|rowspan= "2" |2018
| ''[[Aah! Roach!]]''
| Deek
|
|-
| ''Weight''
| Bogart
|
|-
|rowspan= "2" |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
|-
|rowspan= "2" | 2022
| ''[[KillRoy Was Here]]''
|
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2022/04/kevin-smith-to-sell-horror-anthology-killroy-was-here-as-nfts-new-trailer-released/ |title=Kevin Smith to sell horror anthology KillRoy Was Here as NFTs, new trailer released |website=Flickering Myth |last=Collinson |first=Gary |date=April 6, 2022 |access-date=July 15, 2022}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Clerks III]]'' 
| Jay
|
|-
|2024
| ''[[The 4:30 Movie (film)|The 4:30 Movie]]''
| A John
|
|-
| 2025
| {{Pending film|[[Killing Mary Sue]]}}
| Ed Harper
| Post-production<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/09/sierra-mccormick-dermot-mulroney-killing-mary-sue-1236101416/|title=Sierra McCormick & Dermot Mulroney Leading Action Caper ‘Killing Mary Sue’ With Bleiberg Launching Sales; First Look Revealed|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|first=Andreas|last=Wiseman|date=September 27, 2024|access-date=September 27, 2024|archive-date=September 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927144954/https://deadline.com/2024/09/sierra-mccormick-dermot-mulroney-killing-mary-sue-1236101416/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

===Video games===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Game
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare]]''
| Himself
| voice; part of "Rave in the Redwoods" Zombies map
|-
|2020
|''[[Fallout 76]]''
|Mort
|''Wastelanders'' expansion
|-
|2025
|''[[Call of Duty: Black Ops 6]]''
|Jay
|Playable character in multiplayer modes
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Smith |first=Kevin |date=25 September 2007 |title=My Boring Ass Life: The Uncomfortably Candid Diary of Kevin Smith |publisher=Titan Books |isbn=978-1-84576-538-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/myboringasslife00smit }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|582939}}
* [http://www.viewaskew.com/interviews/mewes/ Interviews Askew: Jason Mewes] (Interview from March 14, 1999)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110822031946/http://smodcast.com/channels/jay-silent-bob-get-old/ "Jay & Silent Bob Get Old Podcast"] Podcast with Smith and Mewes discussing Mewes and his addiction.

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mewes, Jason}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:Henry Hudson Regional High School alumni]]
[[Category:Male actors from New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Highlands, New Jersey]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:American people convicted of drug offenses]]
[[Category:Canadian Screen Award winning actors]]
[[Category:Comedians from Monmouth County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:Actors from Monmouth County, New Jersey]]