Born Jason Edward Mewes on June 12, 1974 in New Jersey, Jason Mewes in an American television, film actor and internet radio show host best known for playing Jay, the vocal half of the duo Jay and Silent Bob, in longtime friend Kevin Smith’s film.

Jason Mewes grew up in a working-class neighborhood in New Jersey. He never knew his father, and his mother was an ex-con and a drug addict. He is of Polish descent. Although this exposure to drugs at first served to make him averse to them, he eventually began using them after graduating high school. He burst into cinema screens in 1994, playing the grass smoking, fast-talking, foul mouthed and over sexed but very likable “Jay” in Kevin Smith’s hilarious low budget hit clerks. The offbeat & philosophical drug dealing characters if “Jay and Silent Bob” (Mewes and Smith) cropped up again in four more films directed by the talented Smith. The tepidly received Mallrats (1995), was followed by more street wisdom in the scintillating romantic comedy Chasing Amy (1997), they tackled theological issues in the quirky religious comedy Dogma (1999) and then took on Hollywood, in the road trip epic Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001). There was also a short-lived animated series “Clerks” (2000).

Their character also made a cameo appearance in Scream 3 (2000) and Bottoms Up and on Canadian television series Degrassi: The Next Generation. He appeared in two episodes of a three-part story arc in which he and Smith film a new addition to Smith’s View Askew films entitled 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.[2]

Mewes has since kicked on to appearing in other non-Smith projects including Hot Rush (2002), R.S.V.P. (2002/I), High Times Potluck (2002), Pauly Shore Is Dead (2003), My Big Fat Independent Movie (2005) and Feast (2005). His last Kevin Smith’s films are Clerks II (2006) and Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008). Mewes has appeared in every film directed by Smith except Jersey Girl (2004), Cop Out (2010), and Red State (2011).

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. In March 1999, he was arrested in Keansburg, New Jersey. He pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled dangerous substance (heroin). He was sentenced to 2 years probation, ordered to undergo substance abuse counseling, and submit to random urine testing. He was also fined $1000, had his driver’s license suspended for 6 months, and was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

Mewes co-hosts a weekly podcast with Smith called Jay and Silent Bob Get Old in which Mewes discusses his former drug addiction issues. He also co-hosts a daily internet radio show called SMod Co SMorning Show alongside his wife Jordan Monsanto, Kevin Smith and Smith’s wife Jennifer Schwalbach on Smith’s Smodcast Internet Radio (S.I.R.). Mewes married Jordan Monsanto in a civil ceremony on January 30, 2009, with a larger wedding planned later that May. He has stated that he intends to have children.

Jason Mewes Photo Gallery