Kevin Smith

Birthdate: August 2, 1970
NJ Town Affiliation: Highlands

Kevin Smith is a New Jersey born filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget independent film classic Clerks (1994), which he wrote, directed, produced, and acted in. Clerks won the “Prix de la Jeunesse” and the International Critics Week top prize at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival as well as the “Filmmakers Trophy” at the Sundance Film Festival, and was chosen by the Library of Congress for inclusion on the prestigious National Film Registry in 2019.

Smith followed Clerks with 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) – all of which are set primarily in New Jersey. While not strictly sequential, most of Smith’s flicks take place in the “View Askewniverse” (named after Smith’s Red Bank based production company View Askew Productions) where the stories are connected by a shared canon as well as the crossover characters of Jay and Silent Bob – cinematic stoners played by Smith’s longtime friend and business partner Jason Mewes and Smith himself.

Beyond the Askewniverse, Smith has also directed Jersey Girl (2004), Cop Out (2010) Red State (2011), Tusk (2014), Yoga Hosers (2016), Killroy Was Here (2022), and The 4:30 Movie (2024), which was shot at Smodcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands, NJ – the same movie theater he haunted every weekend when he was a teenager, which he now co-owns.

In TV and streaming. Smith executive produced Masters of the Universe: Revelation (2021) and Masters of the Universe: Revolution (2024) for Netflix, as well as AMC’s Comic Book Men (2012 —2018), the reality show shot at Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash in Red Bank, NJ – the 28 year old comic book store Smith co-owns with Jason Mewes.

A podcaster since 2007, Smith built the SModcast Podcast Network and populated it with shows like SModcast, Tell ‘Em, Steve-Dave, Plus One, Edumacation, and the live shows Jay and Silent Bob Get Old, Fatman Beyond, and Hollywood Babble-On – which have toured the world.

Smith has authored several books, including Tough Sh*t and Batman: The Widening Gyre -both designated as New York Times Best Sellers. An ardent comic book fan, Smith has written the award-winning Daredevil: Guardian Devil and Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do for Marvel Comics and Green Arrow: Quiver and Batman: Cacophony for DC Comics. Smith has his own imprint at Dark Horse Comics called Secret Stash Press, where he publishes the vigilante epic Maskerade and the Askewniverse anthology Quick Stops, which tells tales featuring familiar faces from Smith’s films.

Smith married journalist Jennifer Schwalbach in 1999. Later that year, their daughter Harley Quinn was born at the same Red Bank, NJ hospital where her Dad entered the world. The two co-host a podcast for iHeart.

Long a loyal apostle of and a troubadour for the Garden State, Smith firmly believes deeply in his Widow-Maker-surviving heart that the only issue that has ever divided New Jersey can be squashed right now with a simple declaration: It’s “Pork Roll” – not “Taylor Ham”.