How did you first become aware of “Clerks II?”

I guess they had come up with a list of girls to go out to and Kevin liked the idea of me a lot and thought it was a long shot to ask, which I think is crazy because I’ve always wanted to work with him. So, my manager and my agent had to go to the office to read the script. It was very hush, hush thing – no one could get the script out because they were afraid of leaks. They laughed their asses off and so they sent a messenger over to drop it off at my place, who was like, “I’ll be back in three hours.” So, I had to speed read it as I was getting ready to do a play in New York! I read it the first time through and thought it was absolutely hilarious. Kevin had me at the (SPOILER)! [laughs] I wasn’t the girl with the (SPOILER) – which I thought would be a little weird with my Dad – and I didn’t have to participate in (SPOILER), I just had to watch which wasn’t that bad! [laughs] So, no fear of retribution! Totally legal! [Zak Charles Knutson, who (SPOILER)] is actually the nicest guy on the planet – he really went for it. I was like, that’s some acting. If you’re going to be that guy, be that guy.” I had such a great time. I got so excited when I read it.

The movie does allude to certain things from the first film and it has those homage moments – I’m excited to be a part of some of those homage moments like the roof scene, the toe nail painting and all that kind of stuff – but you don’t need to watch the first movie to get it. And the first movie still stands on its own, it’s still a really great film, but when you watch it next to this movie you see how much Kevin’s grown as a film maker and a writer. It’s wonderful to be going out, talking to the press and seeing people who really liked this movie and reacting like, “I really liked it! I was really offended sometimes, but it’s a good film!” And yes, it is, it’s a good film. At the heart of it it’s about friendship and whether or not to go after the brass ring of success and what will make me look like I’m happy, or do I go after what will actually make me happy, even though it may not be as glamorous. And I’m the girl he settles for! It was a really interesting project for that reason. This movie reveals the fact that, deep down, Kevin’s really a sweet heart.

Comic Book Resources – “Interview: Jason Mewes”

Jason, did you have any apprehension about doing a sequel?

Not at all. I didn’t really think about it. People keep asking me that. My thinking is we’re doing another movie and it’ll be fun. I love working with Kevin and everyone we work with. It’s a lot of fun for me. People have said, “Why would you do that? It won’t live up to the first!” But I don’t really think much about that shit. For Kevin, I do. I don’t want people to bash it and say, “It didn’t live up to the first” and all that shit because I know it would hurt his feelings and that’s what I think about more. For me, I’m like, “Let’s do ‘Clerks’ 3 and 4 and ‘Dogma’ 7.” [laughs] I love working with Kevin and I like playing different characters. Maybe he’ll [direct] a Ted Bundy movie or something similar to that and he can write me a character like that. I really enjoy working with Kevin.

About.Com – “Interview: Kevin Smith”

“…In the first one I was more Dante wishing that I was Randal. This time around I’m definitely more Randal than Dante, which is odd because Dante is the one kind of going through ‘I’m having a baby and I’m getting married’ type thing, but I’m definitely more in the Randal headspace in terms of like I don’t want things to change. I’m a guy and so naturally change comes very hard to me. It’s a weird struggle all the time where it’s like how much can you remain the person that you were and still grow at the same time? I look at this movie and I definitely identify with Randal so much.”

“…I like to include everyone I know in the movie. I still love what I do. It’s a career now and I’m kind of used to it, but there is still a part of me that’s just like, ‘I can’t f**king believe that this is my job. This is awesome.’ I keep expecting that day where I wake up and I’m like, ‘I knew it was all a f**king dream. I knew that I was still f**king working at the Quick Stop.’ Because it’s that, because I still have that feeling there’s always a feeling that this is the last one that you’re going to get do. Something is going to happen and they’re going to pull rug out from under you so I like to put as many people as I know in the flick because each flick is kind of a snapshot of what’s going on in my life at the time that I wrote it. The people in the flick then are the people involved in my life at the same time. I like to pack it with my friends in the background or in the foreground and stuff like that.”

About.Com – “Interview: Jason Mewes”

“…Getting his own place means he moved out of Kevin Smith’s. “Yeah, about two weeks ago I finally moved out. His wife was pretty tired of it. I was ready to stay for another three years, at least… I miss being around the house. I miss being around people; I miss being around family. I consider his wife, his daughter, his mother-in-law, father-in-law – Jen’s parents [family] – and they’re all amazing. The home-cooked meals are great. Waking up going swimming with Harley, just stuff like that, I miss all that.

But Mewes didn’t stray far from the Smiths’ house. “I’m real close – four or five blocks? No, I wouldn’t say four or five blocks, yeah – close. I was trying to figure out the distance, but I’m not real good. It could be a couple miles, but I could be totally wrong. It’s a five minute drive – put it that way.”

About.Com – “Interview: Rosario Dawson”

“…I have to say it’s a really odd thing. You know, for me personally I think Kevin is so amazing. I was so excited to be called and to be a part of this film – to be on any list to have a position to say yes. I was really grateful for that. Especially for it being based off the first film he ever did. There is a nostalgic factor even for that for me. Being 10 years later and looking at that and starting to get into producing and in the industry for a while and going, ‘This is what I want to do.’ Like the exact same thing as [Kevin’s] doing. Maintaining your integrity, still stretching yourself, but still pushing your boundaries and being able to show both films and see how much he’s grown today – both of which hold up today. And, to me, that’s an amazing thing. To be in a position where he’s grateful for me to be a part of it is so odd for me because I’m so grateful to be a part of it myself.

I think it’s something I’m proud of, that I’ve worked hard enough to be in this position. But it’s also something I think is really funny, because he as well as on the first day realized, this doesn’t fall too far from the tree as much as I think it does. I think a lot of other people, at least my friends and family who watch this movie, will see that this character is a lot closer to my personality, and this movie is, more than anything I’ve done before.”