New Jersey films

The New Jersey films are five motion pictures written and directed by Kevin Smith and made by his production company View Askew. Each of the films is partially or completely set in New Jersey. They were originally known as the Jersey Trilogy — a nickname used even after Dogma, the fourth film in the so-called trilogy, came out.

Common characters and actors

The films share actors and characters:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Jay and Silent Bob are in all of the films. Jay, who talks incessantly, is played by Jason Mewes. Silent Bob is played by Kevin Smith, who usually has barely enough lines to qualify as a speaking part, though his lines generally have deeper meaning in the story (indeed, the title Chasing Amy stems from Silent Bob's speech in one scene).
• Brian O'Halloran played Dante Hicks in Clerks and in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and appeared in each of the other films playing other members of the Hicks family.
• Jeff Anderson, who played Randal Graves in Clerks and in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, cameoed as a gun store employee in Dogma.
• Jason Lee played Brodie Bruce in Mallrats, Banky Edwards in Chasing Amy, and Azreal in Dogma. In Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, he reprised both the Brodie and Banky roles.
• Ben Affleck played the villain Shannon Hamilton in Mallrats, Holden McNeil in Chasing Amy, Bartleby in Dogma, and appeared as both Holden and himself in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
• Joey Lauren Adams had a minor part in Mallrats and starred in Chasing Amy.
• Dwight Ewell played an important role in Chasing Amy and a minor one in Dogma.
• Matt Damon had a minor part in Chasing Amy, starred in Dogma and appeared as himself in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
• Most repeat performers had at least a cameo in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, often making ironic observations about the films.