Kevin Smith

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Birthday:

2 August 1970, Red Bank, New Jersey, USA

Birth Name:

Kevin Patrick Smith

Height:

175 cm

Kevin Patrick Smith was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, to Grace (Schultz) and Donald E. Smith, a postal worker. He is very proud of his native state; this fact can be seen in all of his movies. Kevin is of mostly German, with some Irish and English, ancestry.His first movie, Clerks (1994), was filmed in the convenience store in which Smith worked. He was only allowed to shoot at night after the store closed. This movie won the highest award at the Sundance film festival and was brought to theaters by Miramax. The movie went over so well that Smith was able to make another movie, Mallrats (1995). This movie, as Kevin has said, was meant to be a "smart Porkys". Although it didn't do well at all in the box office, it has done more than well on video store shelves and is usually the favorite among many Smith fans.During filming for the movie, Smith met his new close friends and stars of his next movie, Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, and his new girlfriend, Joey Lauren Adams. Smith has said that his relationship with Adams has been much of an inspiration for his next movie, Chasing Amy (1997), Smith's comedy drama which won two independent Spirit awards: Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Role (for Jason Lee). Around the time that Chasing Amy (1997) was wrapping, Smith broke up with Adams and, then when the Spirit awards were approaching, he met his soon-to-be wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith. After Chasing Amy (1997), Smith started on Dogma (1999), a controversial film about Christianity. Around this time, Smith's wife gave birth to their first baby girl, Harley Quinn Smith. Harley Quinn and Jennifer both have roles in Smith's next film,Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001). In this road trip comedy, the cult heroes, Jay and Silent Bob, go on an adventure to stop the production of a movie being made about them, find true love, and save an orangutan.In 2004, he wrote and directed Jersey Girl (2004), starring Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler. Although there were some disappointing reviews and the movie was a disappointment at the box office, Smith says it did alright going up against the "Bennifer Massacre" known as Gigli (2003).In 2005, Smith wrote the screenplay for Clerks II (2006), which he planned to start shooting in January of 2005. But then he got a call from Susannah Grant, who wanted Smith to audition for her new film. Smith went into the audition and, five minutes after finishing, he got a call saying he got the part. Filming began in January 2005 so Smith had to delay the filming of Clerks II (2006). After Catch and Release (2006) finished filming, Smith shot "Clerks II" in September 2005. After cutting "Clerks II", they submitted it to the Cannes film festival. It got accepted and, at Cannes, it got an 8 minute standing ovation.In 2006, Smith also got offered a part in the fourth "Die Hard" film, Live Free or Die Hard (2007). Smith got to film a scene with one of his idols, Bruce Willis, the scene was supposed to take one day of filming, it ended up taking a week. In 2007, Smith was also hired to direct the pilot for the show Reaper (2007), which garnered favorable reviews.In 2007 and 2008, Smith wrote two scripts: a comedy, Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), and a horror film called Red State (2011). Harvey Weinstein green-lighted "Zack and Miri", based just off the title, although they passed on "Red State", Smith plans to get "Red State" independently funded. Smith filmed "Zack and Miri" with comedy star Seth Rogen. The film did not meet expectations at the box office but got good reviews. It is Smith's highest grossing movie, although he says he was crushed by the disappointing box office of the film.Smith was offered the chance to direct a film which was written by Robb Cullen and Mark Cullen called Cop Out (2010). Smith accepted, it would be two firsts; the first feature Smith has directed but not written and the first feature of Smith's that Scott Mosier has not produced (Mosier is trying to find a film to direct). Smith hired Bruce Willis for the film. Show less «

[on the hoopla over homosexual slurs in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)] "Gay or straight has never been a big issue with me. Sex is s...Show more »

[on the hoopla over homosexual slurs in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)] "Gay or straight has never been a big issue with me. Sex is sex, as far as I'm concerned. Some cats dig on the opposite gender, and some cats dig on their own. Sexual identity will always be as mystifying as why The Dukes of Hazzard (1979) was once the number one television show in our country: there's no point in getting bent out of shape about it; it just IS. Some cats will always gravitate toward "Daisy Duke", and some will always pine over Boss Hogg". Show less «

They're like, 'I can't believe Kevin Smith gets into comics, and all he can do is a superhero comic.' Well, that's what I want to do.

I wasn't disappointed by Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999). I know a lot of people were but I was one of those cats who wasn'...Show more »

I wasn't disappointed by Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999). I know a lot of people were but I was one of those cats who wasn't. You go in with low expectations, or not expecting it to bring you right back to the days of your youth, but it's kind of a fun movie. Show less «

The Jay character is kind of based on who Jason was when he was about 14 years old. In the movies he's a bit more well spoken than he was at...Show more »

The Jay character is kind of based on who Jason was when he was about 14 years old. In the movies he's a bit more well spoken than he was at that age. Silent Bob - there is no affiliation to myself. I needed a guy to stand next to Jay and not say much, being that Jason was going to be saying a lot. - on resemblances between real life and his characters. Show less «

On considering dropping out of The Green Hornet (2011) film (August 19, 2004): "Right after Jersey Girl (2004) came out and kind of underper...Show more »

On considering dropping out of The Green Hornet (2011) film (August 19, 2004): "Right after Jersey Girl (2004) came out and kind of underperformed, I was just like, "I got no business making large-budget movies". I should always make movies that cost less than 10 million bucks... I just don't think somebody like me should be in charge of big-budget movies. I'm too interested in dialogue, and dialogue and big budgets just don't blend very well". Show less «

[In response to Tim Burton claiming he doesn't read comics] Well that would explain Batman (1989).

Now you've gotta spend two thousand bucks to stay at my house. And for five, I'll let you photograph my wife in the shower.

Each flick I've done is kind of a snapshot of where I was in my life when I wrote it; Clerks II (2006) really speaks to where I am in life a...Show more »

Each flick I've done is kind of a snapshot of where I was in my life when I wrote it; Clerks II (2006) really speaks to where I am in life at the moment. You don't have to be an analyst to look at the movie and go, "The Quick Stop means a little more than the Quick Stop, and Florida represents something more than just going to Florida". That's kind of where I am. There's definitely something bittersweet about arriving at Clerks II (2006). Show less «

There's something to be said for failing. It's not the failure you feel, it's the failure that people project when something disappoints. Yo...Show more »

There's something to be said for failing. It's not the failure you feel, it's the failure that people project when something disappoints. You're back to ground zero, where there's no expectations, and that's where I like to be. People like to set the bar high. I like to put the bar on the ground and barely step over it. I like to keep the expectations really low. After something like Mallrats (1995) or Jersey Girl (2004), the expectations are in the toilet. People are like, "He's over, he's done". So it's easier to be, like, "Ta-da, I'm not". It's a much more comfortable place to work from. When you have an escalating career, and every time you have to outdo yourself, I couldn't handle that kind of pressure. But having to outdo Jersey Girl (2004)? Not very difficult. Show less «

I once wrote a horror screenplay for my friend Vincent to make when he was in high school that was close to Ingmar Bergman's Det sjunde inse...Show more »

I once wrote a horror screenplay for my friend Vincent to make when he was in high school that was close to Ingmar Bergman's Det sjunde inseglet (1957) (aka "The Seventh Seal"). Very psychological horror stuff. A lot of the religious elements in the script ended up in Dogma (1999). Show less «

It wasn't the first comic I ever actually READ, but the first comic I remember slapping down hard-earned money for was a 'Superman Family' A...Show more »

It wasn't the first comic I ever actually READ, but the first comic I remember slapping down hard-earned money for was a 'Superman Family' Annual in which the first story featured a married Lois and Superman waking up on a cloud. I remember being oddly aroused by the whole thing. I mean, the implication was that these two were fucking. Show less «

I was a fan of the Daredevil and Green Arrow characters, so it seemed logical to write them. Now I'm kind of interested in taking obscure ch...Show more »

I was a fan of the Daredevil and Green Arrow characters, so it seemed logical to write them. Now I'm kind of interested in taking obscure characters and seeing if we can turn them into top ten books. I mean, DD and GA had somewhat built-in audiences, so there was a basis to work from. But could we take a Doctor Strange book and put that in the top ten? That'd be a fun challenge. Show less «

It's too expensive, that's the thing nobody wants to talk about. It is too expensive to make movies. That's not true, it is too expensive to...Show more »

It's too expensive, that's the thing nobody wants to talk about. It is too expensive to make movies. That's not true, it is too expensive to market movies. Making movies is not. You can have 10 bucks to 10 million bucks and if you got a crew, imagination and a lot of people willing to turn in some work next to nothing, you going to have a feature. But you can't get beyond how expensive marketing the movie is, it's so crushing. Show less «

(On Slacker (1991)) It was the movie that got me off my ass; it was the movie that lit a fire under me, the movie that made me think, "Hey, ...Show more »

(On Slacker (1991)) It was the movie that got me off my ass; it was the movie that lit a fire under me, the movie that made me think, "Hey, I could be a filmmaker." And I had never seen a movie like that before ever in my life. Show less «

[on making Red State (2011)] Look at all these beautiful people making this movie, cinching their belts and doing it for next-to-nothing. Be...Show more »

[on making Red State (2011)] Look at all these beautiful people making this movie, cinching their belts and doing it for next-to-nothing. Ben (Affleck) recently sent me an email going 'Dude, I don't know how you make this for four million bucks. It doesn't look like a four-million-dollar movie'. That's because nobody got paid, dude. Show less «

[on cinematographer David Klein] I'm not much of a sports guy, but I do like hockey very much, and they say great lines always find each oth...Show more »

[on cinematographer David Klein] I'm not much of a sports guy, but I do like hockey very much, and they say great lines always find each other. Same thing with Klein. He can finish a visual sentence that I can start to express but can't finish. It just makes me laugh - I became a better filmmaker standing next to the same knuckleheaded kid I'd met in film school years ago. Show less «

[on involving himself with online podcasts] If I'm a white noise in your life, if I'm this background voice that's comforting to know it's t...Show more »

[on involving himself with online podcasts] If I'm a white noise in your life, if I'm this background voice that's comforting to know it's there, I could go a lot farther than I ever could've gone with film. I can go weird places with you - in the bathroom, on the bus on the worst plane ride of your life. You can't demand that the audience do 'appointment viewing' anymore. You have to make it as easy and accessible as possible. Show less «

Storytelling is my currency. It's my only worth. The only thing of value I have in this life is my ability to tell a story, whether in print...Show more »

Storytelling is my currency. It's my only worth. The only thing of value I have in this life is my ability to tell a story, whether in print, orating, writing it down or having people acting it out. That's why I'm always hoping society never collapses because the first ones to go will be entertainers. Show less «

[on Paul Thomas Anderson and Magnolia (1999)] I'll never watch it again, but I will keep it. I'll keep it right on my desk, as a constant re...Show more »

[on Paul Thomas Anderson and Magnolia (1999)] I'll never watch it again, but I will keep it. I'll keep it right on my desk, as a constant reminder that a bloated sense of self-importance is the most unattractive quality in a person or their work. Show less «

I liked Bryan Singer's Superman Returns (2006). I thought in honoured the Dick Donner versions, but what I've seen from Man of Steel (2013) ...Show more »

I liked Bryan Singer's Superman Returns (2006). I thought in honoured the Dick Donner versions, but what I've seen from Man of Steel (2013) has pulled me right in. There is one moment where Superman is speeding Lois Lane away from danger and we get a glimpse of her face, and to me it looks like she's saying, 'If this dude slows down we are dead'. If you can show me something that beautiful that brings me as close to the comic book experience as humanly possible, you've got my money. Show less «

[on Reese Witherspoon] She's a dick. I was at some party with Joey Lauren Adams and Reese had just got a part Joey was hoping to get. So Joe...Show more »

[on Reese Witherspoon] She's a dick. I was at some party with Joey Lauren Adams and Reese had just got a part Joey was hoping to get. So Joey said, 'Hey Reese, I just wanted to say congratulations. I think you'll do really great with the part.' And Reese just gave this dead-eyed look and was like, 'Whatever...' What a f**king douchebag. At this point she wasn't even the Reese Witherspoon that everybody mistakenly knows and loves. She was Reese Witherspoon circa S.F.W. (1994). To have that kind of attitude back then; I guess she was meant for stardom. Show less «

[on directing Bruce Willis in Cop Out (2010)] He turned out to be the unhappiest, most bitter, and meanest emo-bitch I've ever met at any jo...Show more »

[on directing Bruce Willis in Cop Out (2010)] He turned out to be the unhappiest, most bitter, and meanest emo-bitch I've ever met at any job I've held down. And mind you, I've worked at Domino's Pizza. [from his memoir "Tough Sh-t"] Show less «

[on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)] Remember before when we were talking about The Flash (2014), and that it has heart, humor, an...Show more »

[on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)] Remember before when we were talking about The Flash (2014), and that it has heart, humor, and spectacle. The movie I felt like didn't really have a heart. It was certainly fucking humorless, there was nothing funny going on in that world whatsoever, but it had lots of spectacle. Like you can't take that away from Zack Snyder. Boy, he knows how to like compose a frame and how to setup a shot. Beautiful visual stylist but you need more than just the pictures, you need like characterization and these characters seemed off character, particularly Superman. [2016] Show less «

[on Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)'s disappointing box office performance] I was depressed, man. I wanted that movie to do so much better...Show more »

[on Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)'s disappointing box office performance] I was depressed, man. I wanted that movie to do so much better. I'm sitting there thinking, 'That's it, that's it, I'm gone, I'm out. The movie didn't do well and I killed Seth Rogen's career! This dude was on a roll until he got in with the likes of me. I'm a career killer! Judd's [Judd Apatow] going to be pissed, the whole Internet's going to be pissed because they all like Seth, and the only reason they like me anymore is because I was involved with Seth! And now I fuckin' ruined that. It was like high school. I was like, 'I'm a dead man. I'll be the laughing stock.' Show less «