…Even Kevin Smith, king of the slacker flick, is changing his stripes with the upcoming “Jersey Girl,” starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, about a workaholic publicist who decides to get married and have kids when he meets the right woman.

Smith (“Chasing Amy,” “Clerks”), said it will be interesting to see how his young fans react to this movie, which doesn’t feature his stock characters, Jay and Silent Bob, poster boys for the unencumbered life.

“It’s not about subject matter they can all identify with,” Smith said about “Jersey Girl.” “But we all think about marriage and want it, even if we’re not going for the white picket fence.”

“I wanted to marry the woman who rocked my head and my heart and rocked me physically. I hope she feels the same,” Smith said.

Wishing on stars and seeing a few

The filming of “Jersey Girl” brings movie magic to fans in Paulsboro, Gloucester County.

By Sara Isadora Mancuso
Inquirer Suburban Staff

PAULSBORO – Police Chief Ken Ridinger’s headphones hung off his neck as he stood behind the yellow crime tape keeping cameras, reporters and fans from creeping into off-limit blue tents and trailers.

“He’s really knocking it down in this scene,” Ridinger said as Ben Affleck’s lines for Jersey Girl filtered into his ears.

Yesterday’s sprinkle went unnoticed by the 80 or so fans praying for a star sighting as they lined the sidewalks across from Paulsboro’s municipal building on Delaware Street. Mothers and fathers with babies in arms, teens, and shop owners huddled together, waiting for a wave from Jennifer Lopez or Affleck, the stars of the $35 million Miramax movie.

The dramatic comedy stars real-life sweethearts Affleck and Lopez as newlyweds with a newborn. The story is set in Highlands, Monmouth County, but Paulsboro is doubling for the coastal town, where director Kevin Smith, of the 1994 sleeper hit Clerks, grew up.

During the fans’ stake-out, which for some started at 8 a.m., disposable cameras never left their sides, and pens and paper for autographs stayed gripped in hands, wet from rain.

They had a great view of Affleck – his stand-in, at least – clad in black-and-white Adidas pants outside the back doors to Borough Hall.

Eventually, the fans’ screams were answered.

Only partly.

J. Lo was off-set, in New York for the MTV Video Music Awards.

But Affleck walked down Delaware Street around lunchtime after portraying a New York City entertainment publicist in a scene. In Jersey Girl, George Carlin plays Affleck’s father, a municipal employee.

Back on Delaware, traffic crawled while Affleck spoke on a fan’s cell phone; doled out hugs, kisses and autographs; and posed for pictures.

A few hours before, real Borough Council members signed autographs before heading into Borough Hall for a scene with Affleck.

Councilman John Gentile took the seat he always uses at borough meetings. “We were just sitting there being ourselves. Then Ben Affleck appears,” he said, incredulous.

Inside, municipal business was slow. Borough Clerk Kathy VanScoy, a movie star for a day, slipped in and out of the office. Her hair, usually long and flowing, was fashioned with bobby pins in a loose bun, and her makeup had just been done at Hill Studio, Mayor John Burzichelli’s production studio.

Robert “Ratface” Holtzman, a production designer who has worked with Smith and Burzichelli, scouted Gloucester City, Collingswood and other towns before settling on Paulsboro, known for its high school wrestling championships, oil refineries, and borough pride.

“Paulsboro is a diamond in the rough,” Holtzman said.

He had been searching the area for a Craftsman house like those that could be mail-ordered from the Sears catalog in the 1930s.

“I found the perfect house and the perfect street,” Holtzman said.

No, he’s not releasing the particulars.

During the next few weeks, more cast members will be filmed in the borough. They began their 10-week shoot in the Philadelphia area Monday.

The crew and cast, which includes Liv Tyler, also will be at Paulsboro High School and Loudenslager Elementary School in the coming weeks.

For now, the movie crew is getting comfortable shopping in Gloucester County thrift stores and restaurants.

Weiss True Value in Paulsboro has supplied the set dressers with lightbulbs, tools and tape – sometimes three or four times a day.

“They’re down-to-earth, regular, cool people,” manager Phil Weiss said.

The fans were a different story. Dana Truhan and her best friend, Emily Buffington, both 18, were gushing when they entered Gervasi’s Restaurant after taking pictures with Affleck.

“People were screaming his name,” Buffington said. “And we were just like….”

For casting consideration, send a photo of yourself along with your stats (age, sex, height, weight) and your contact information to…

I WANNA BE A JERSEY GIRL!
c/o
Mike Lemon Casting
Callowhill Office Center
413 North 7th St.
Suite 602
Philadelphia, PA
19123

Deadline for submissions is August 31st.

“In a town starving for Jersey Girl-related sightings on its first week of filming, this will have to do:

Police tow trucks were busy clearing parked cars from Chestnut Street yesterday outside the Lord & Taylor store, near 13th Street. What was up? Ben Affleck and Jason Biggs, who play coworkers in the Kevin Smith film, were due to show up to shoot inside the Wanamaker Building. When queried, a worker at the building said an upstairs stairwell would look great on celluloid.

The Jersey Girl crew will be in Paulsboro, Gloucester County, today and tomorrow before taking a Labor Day break.

In other Jersey Girl matters:

Affleck and his best friend, Matt Damon, have something else in the works these days. They enjoy giving back to the film community since they were plucked from obscurity with Good Will Hunting, and are launching their second Project Greenlight filmmaking contest; this time it’s open to aspiring writers and directors, with the winners getting $1 million to make their movie. (Info: projectgreenlight.com.)

And the sight of Biggs, who stars in the American Pie flicks, ties nicely into a bit of, uh, dish: George Carlin, who plays Affleck’s father, is a major-league, don’t-spare-the-nutmeg pumpkin-pie connoisseur. We’re told that a few pies have been delivered to him for his dining pleasure.”

DAREDEVIL: THE TARGET #1

Written by Kevin Smith, art and cover by Glenn Fabry.

There’s unfinished business in Daredevil’s life: a psychopath called Bullseye who killed a woman that Matt Murdock loved — and now it’s payback time. It’s the greatest grudge-match of the year, and it features artwork (and painted covers) by Preacher’s Glenn Fabry. 32 pages, $3.50.

Lopez and Affleck in Fire Drama

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were forced to flee his New York loft apartment when a fire broke out. The showbiz couple were enjoying a quiet night in with Ben’s brother Casey and Joaquin Phoenix when the blaze started on Monday. The four escaped unhurt from the building and called firefighters. An onlooker says, “They were all sitting outside the apartment on the street. It was strange to see celebrities sitting around and talking to the neighbors as the blaze was dealt with. Luckily it was just a small fire that was controlled in no time.”

SUNDAY SEPT 1 – 3:30AM & 11:00 AMTUESDAY SEPT 3 – 1:00 PMWEDNESDAY SEPT 4 – 10:30AMTHURSDAY SEPT 5 – 5:00 PM

Kevin Smith talks with Michael Agger

Kevin Smith’s independent début, “Clerks,” won the Filmmaker’s Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival and a critics’ award at Cannes. He received an Independent Spirit Award for his film “Chasing Amy.” Among his other films are “Dogma,” “Mallrats,” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” He is currently directing “Jersey Girl,” which he wrote.

Michael Agger is an editor and film critic for The New Yorker’s Goings On About Town.

Date: Sat Sep 28 2002
Time: 09:00 PM
Venue: Tribeca Film Center
Price: $20.00
Address: 375 Greenwich Street
New York, NY

“Writer/director Kevin Smith and producer Scott Mosier hosted a start-up party for the Jersey Girl crew Friday night at Drinker’s Tavern (124 Market St.). Among the 130 attendees were Smith’s wife, actress Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, and their dressed-to-the-nines daughter, Harley Quinn, 3, plus Greater Philadelphia Film Office czarina Sharon Pinkenson.”

“A red T-shirted Ben Affleck and a peasant-bloused Liv Tyler (model/actress daughter of Aerosmith’s Steve Tyler) were hustled into Center City’s Sigma Sound, apparently to record something for “Jersey Girl.” Wait! They are singing and Jennifer Lopez is not? What’s up? Sigma won’t say…”

‘Jersey Girl’ Recruits Extras Online By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Want to be in a movie with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez? Kevin Smith wants to give you a chance.

The writer-director is recruiting extras for his upcoming movie “Jersey Girl” through his View Askew Web site. He held a similar open casting call for some of his previous movies, including “Chasing Amy,” “Dogma” and “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”

“Now, mind you, this isn’t for speaking parts; all of those are already taken,” the Web site says. “But that doesn’t mean you still can’t be a part of the Movie Magic (actual Movie Magic not guaranteed) as an Extra!”

Aspiring extras must submit a photo, contact information and statistics (age, gender, height and weight) by Friday.

“Jersey Girl,” co-starring Liv Tyler and George Carlin, is scheduled for release next year. ———

On the Net:

Kevin Smith casting call: http://www.viewaskew.com/jgextras/

PREVIEWS UK UPDATE #509 VIDEO

Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back Video

The legendary duo return once more when they find out that a Hollywood movie is planned featuring their comic book alter-egos Bluntman & Chronic, Jay and Silent Bob set out to sabotage it as they have not been paid. Cue a hilarious road movie, cameos galore, Shannon Elizabeth, homage to Star Wars – all of which spells another winner for Kevin Smith!Available September 9th, SRP £12.99. (CAUT. 4)