The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (2024)

Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse has brought us beloved films such asClerks,Mallrats,andChasingAmy. Those movies are memorable because of the characters. Here are 20 of the most entertaining.

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20. Elias Grover

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (1)

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A teenage employee at Mooby's in ClerksII, Elias(Trevor Fehrman) has found religion and is a little nerdy. The co-workers he's drawn to can be a recipe for disaster, leading to spiritual and moral corruptness.

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19. T.S. Quint

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (2)

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Mallrats' T.S. (Jeremy London) is a suburban everyman. He's in love with his girlfriend, Brandi Svenning (Claire Forlani), but a bit selfish. Her father completely hates him. T.S. isn't flashy, likes mall-stand cookies and Jaws,and is relatively relatable. He's well-spoken and witty. The only downfall might be the company he keeps.

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18. Rene Mosier

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (3)

Gramercy Pictures

Rene (Shannen Doherty) is the aggravated girlfriend of T.S. Quint's best friend from Mallrats. Rene wants to be respected and appreciated by her man. We don't know much about her, but she digs shopping, likes breakfast, and maybe even a quickie in a shopping mall elevator. She seems to have a soft spot for lost causes, or in this case, potentially lost relationships.

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17. Mr. Jared Svenning

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (4)

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Mallrats' Mr. Svenning (Michael Rooker) was a small-time, cable-access producer/director putting on a young-adult, rip-off version of TheDatingGame known as TruthorDatein a New Jersey shopping mall.The pompous and incompetent Mr. Svenning is the father of Brandi, T.S.'s girlfriend. In addition to trying to woo network execs to run his game show, Svenning aimed to break up T.S. and Brandi. He's also fond ofchocolate-covered pretzels.

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16. Chewlies Gum Representative

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (5)

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That's the official credited title of the rabble-rousing activist in the opening scenes of Clerks. Portrayed by Scott Schiaffo, he confronts any Quick Stop customerbuyinga "pack of cıgarettes" to lecture them on the hazards of smokıng. Once he works the customers into a small mob, it's revealed that he's a Chewlies gum rep looking to push his product on unsuspecting customers.

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15. Olaf Oleeson

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (6)

Miramax Films

Silent Bob's cousin Olaf (John Henry Westhead) is from Russia but stopped for a visit in New Jersey and showed off his heavy metal prowess on his way to New York City. At the urging of Jay, Olaf breaks into his power rock stance, dons his metal face, and unleashes a few lyrics from his song "Berserker." Olaf's time in Clerksis very short, but it remains one of the great lasting moments within the "New Jersey Trilogy."

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14. Caitlin Bree

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Miramax Films

Since high school, Clerks protagonist Dante has been infatuated with classmate Caitlin Bree. While he's painfully devoted to her, she has not always reciprocated those feelings. She's cheated on him several times, and she got engaged to an Asian design major while at college. However, she's still not over Dante, and her return to town only worsens his already dismal life and her well-being. Sadly, Lisa Spoonauer, who played Caitlin, passed in 2017 at age 44.

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13. Federal Wildlife Marshal Willenholly

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (8)

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Perhaps it was only a matter of time before Will Ferrell found his way into Kevin Smith's film world. That came as part of JayandSilentBobStrikeBack'sensemble cast. Ferrell's spacey Marshal Willenholly is trying to track down a missing orangutan but keeps getting outwittedand outplayedby the duo. Ferrell's over-the-top comedy fits well with the film's over-the-top nature. Willenholly's "Who let the cats out?" line is underrated.

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12. Willam Black

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Within the View Askewniverse, "idiot man-child" Willam is played by two characters. We're first introduced to Willam in Clerks (played by Kevin Smith's longtime writing/producing partner Scott Mosier), where he aimlessly loiters around the Quick Stop. We also learn the origin of his nickname, "Snowball." In Mallrats, a much heavier Willam (played by the underrated Ethan Suplee) struggles to see the sailboat in one of those Magic Eye posters at the mall.

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11. Hooper X

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (10)

Miramax Films

One of the more underrated aspects of the solidly sappy ChasingAmyis Hooper X. To the public, Hooper(Dwight Ewell) comes off as a neo-Black Panther-type comic-book writer, trying to take down "the white man" for professional credibility. In his real-life amid the "New Jersey Trilogy," Hooper is a gay man living life to the fullest. Ragging on his friends, offering sound love advice, and showing his devotion to the musical stylings of Yanni.

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10. Holden McNeil

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (11)

Miramax Films

Ben Affleck has been a staple in Kevin Smith's movies, often playing various recurring roles. As the male lead in ChasingAmy, Affleck's Holdenis the co-author of the massively popular BluntmanandChroniccomic. However, his love life is rather tepid until he meets the potential love of his life, only to be dismayed when learning the real reason she might not want to be with him. Holden's soft side can be annoying at times, but he's one of the more honest, real-world characters with real emotions within Smith's View Askewniverse. His brief time in JayandSilentBobStrikeBackis one of the movie's highlights.

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9. Rufus

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (12)

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Dogmahas its moments, but not many of the individual performances in the film are memorable. One that's certainly worth celebrating is Chris Rock's Rufus, the supposed 13th apostle who is looking to rewrite the Bible. He finds himself on Earth, trying to help Bethany (Linda Fiorentino) and prophets Jay and Silent Bob keep a pair of fallen angels from reaching heaven. Rufus is wise and wisecracking. He can see into people's minds and is a serviceable guardian, who also happens to provide the most consistent comedy aspects of the film.

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8. Veronica Loughran

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (13)

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Veronica(Marilyn Ghigliotti) is feisty, intelligent, and seemingly self-confident. We learn that she's apparently a good cook and fancies foreplay. Veronica can also be a bit smothering when handling her Clerksboyfriend, Dante. She wants what's best for him but can be a bit pushy when attempting to bring out his true potential. Veronica is also not a big fan of the aforementioned Caitlin Bree.

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7. Banky Edwards

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (14)

Miramax Films

Holden McNeil's comic-book partner in crime from ChasingAmy, and eventually the sole rights-owner of the Bluntmanand Chronicbooks, Banky (Jason Lee) is an immature, vulgar goofball who likes DegrassiJuniorHighand a wide variety of adult magazines. He's also a little insecure about being dubbed a "tracer." Banky's friendshipwith Holden is an intriguing secondary storyline in ChasingAmy.

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6. Brodie Bruce

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (15)

Gramercy Pictures

The slacker hero of Mallrats and another strong performance from Kevin Smith-regular Jason Lee. Brodie might be a bum who enjoys Sega hockey, "loves the smell of commerce in the morning," soda in a small Dixie-like cup, a good "stink palm," and hates that kid playing on the mall escalator. But he has dreams of opening his own comics shop. Brodie needs help pleasing girlfriend Rene. He goes to some extremely hilarious lengths to do so and is ultimately rewarded in his personal and professional life.

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5. Alyssa Jones

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Miramax Films

Arguably Joey Lauren Adams' most notable role. The female lead in ChasingAmy, Alyssa Jones is a free-spirited, comic-book writing lesbian who loves to have a good time. She becomes conflicted over her sexuality when she meets Holden McNeil. It's an interesting dynamic and shows Adams' range as a lead actress — displaying her character's honest attempt to balance confidence and humility. Alyssa is easily the strongest female character within the View Askewniverse.

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4. Jay

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (17)

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Jay (Jason Mewes) is one-half of the View Askewniverse's dynamic slacker-stoner duo. Jayis only for mature audiences, and even they can only take him in small doses. He's obscene, obnoxious, a low-level weed dealer, highly unintelligent, and obsessed with sex. Jay has a certain amount of street smarts that allows him to survive without serving any real purpose other than being an inspiration for a comic book character.

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3. Silent Bob

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (18)

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Paired with Jay, Silent Bob is the smarter, less crass half of one of the most iconic comedy film duos. Kevin Smith's on-screen persona obviously does not talk much, but when he does, it's usually to offer wisdomor a dose of realitythat eventually resonates with other characters within the View Askewniverse. Bob also has a thing for orangutans, cigarettes, and Las Vegas showgirls musicals. Sometimes, speaking so little can say so much. "Snoochie boochies."

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2. Randal Graves

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (19)

Miramax Films

Sure, Randal (Jeff Anderson) is lewd, crude, and straight-up dislikable. Yet, he's so entertaining. His dialogue with pal Dante makes Clerksso much fun to watch. He's a slacker who reads too much into the StarWarsmovies and has no trouble telling others how to better themselves. The latter is somewhat ironic since Randalhas no problem with his underachievement. He embraces it.

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1. Dante Hicks

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (20)

Miramax Films

Within the realm of Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse, Dante(Brian O'Halloran) is actually one character worthy of sympathy. Sure, he constantly whines about his lot in life and his fear of drastic change. But there's also a point of contentment with his place. Dante is generally a nice guy in Clerksor ClerksII. He realizes his comfort zone is rather simple. Waiting on people, no matter how much he loathes his customers at either the Quick Stop or Mooby's, is something he's pretty fair at when not closing a store to play hockey, attend wakes or throw parties. Dante is flawed, but we can appreciate it all.

A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for parts of four decades. He was an integral member of award-winning sports sections at The Times of Northwest Indiana (Munster, Ind.) and Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette, where he covered the NFL, PGA, LPGA, NCAA basketball, football and golf, Olympics and high school athletics. Jeff most recently spent 12 years in the editorial department at STATSPerform, where he also oversaw coverage of the English Premier League. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Jeff's work has also appeared on such sites at Yahoo!, ESPN, Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated and NBA.com. However, if Jeff could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High School and Grand Lakes University

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse (2024)

FAQs

The most memorable characters from Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse? ›

Zack and Miri Make a Porno: Though Smith previously stated that the film is not set within the Askewniverse, he later added the character of Brandon St. Randy as a part of Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. The character features as the lawyer of Jay, Silent Bob, and Saban Films.

Are Zack and Miri in the view of Askewniverse? ›

Zack and Miri Make a Porno: Though Smith previously stated that the film is not set within the Askewniverse, he later added the character of Brandon St. Randy as a part of Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. The character features as the lawyer of Jay, Silent Bob, and Saban Films.

Are Brodie and Randal related? ›

We first learn of Cousin Walter in Clerks, as the cousin of Randal Graves, making Brodie and Randal cousins, which makes a lot of sense.

Where did Jay and Silent Bob come from? ›

Jay and Silent Bob are fictional characters created by Kevin Smith, prominently featured in his View Askewniverse films. They first appeared in "Clerks". Silent Bob, portrayed by Kevin Smith, has a reticent nature, communicating mostly through gestures and facial expressions rather than speech.

How old is Dante in Clerks 1? ›

Dante Hicks, played by Brian O'Halloran, is 22 (33 in Clerks II, 49 in Clerks III), works at the Quick Stop Market in Leonardo, New Jersey, and still lives with his parents.

Is Scream in the View Askewniverse? ›

Scream 3 – Although not officially a part of the View Askewniverse, the third film of the Scream trilogy, Jay and Silent Bob make a quick cameo appearance, appearing as tourists visiting Sunrise Studios.

Is Jersey Girl part of the view in Askewniverse? ›

It was the first film written and directed by Smith not to be set in the View Askewniverse as well as the first not to feature appearances by Jay and Silent Bob, although animated versions of them appear in the View Askew logo at the beginning of the film and the still version at the end.

Does Thomas Brodie have a sister? ›

How does Clerks 3 end? ›

Later, a drunk Dante finally confronts Randal for never respecting him or acknowledging his support over the years, and for forcing him to relive the loss of his wife and child. Suddenly, he collapses, suffering a heart attack as well.

Are Mallrats and Chasing Amy connected? ›

Tricia Jones is Heather's little sister in Mallrats. Alyssa Jones is also their sister, in Chasing Amy, Tricia is mentioned as "the one who wrote the book." In Clerks, Rick Derris had been sleeping with Caitlin Bree while she was going out with Dante.

Who is Silent Bob's wife? ›

Jennifer Schwalbach Smith was born on April 7, 1971 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. She is a producer and actress, known for Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Clerks II (2006) and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019). She has been married to Kevin Smith since April 25, 1999. They have one child.

Are Jay and Silent Bob in Dogma? ›

Bethany, aided by two prophets, must stop the angels and save the universe. Now a target, Bethany is attacked by the triplets, who are driven off by the two foretold prophets, drug-dealing stoners Jay and Silent Bob.

Why is it called the View Askewniverse? ›

A fictional universe created by writer/director Kevin Smith, it is named for Smith's production company, View Askew Productions where the characters Jay and Silent Bob appear in almost all the View Askewniverse media, and characters from one story often reappear or are referred to in others.

Why was Clerks 3 cancelled? ›

Did you know. Originally, Kevin Smith announced in 2017 that Clerks 3 was off the table after a falling-out with his friend Jeff Anderson who had played Randal Graves in Clerks (1994) and Clerks II (2006). Anderson had read the script but chose not to be involved; Smith canceled the project and made.

Why is Clerks 3 Rated R? ›

Clerks III SEX/NUDITY 5

► A person thrusts into a costume's head. A woman kisses a man on the forehead. A man uses his two index fingers to touch his clothed nipples when a reference is made to a pornographic movie.

Is Clerks 3 funny? ›

Clerks III has some funny and charming moments, but is also strongly rooted in original Clerks nostalgia and Kevin Smith's personal life health crisis.

What movies are in the Jay and Silent Bob universe? ›

Jay and Silent Bob Movie List
  • Clerks. 19941h 32mR. 7.7 (233K) Rate. ...
  • Mallrats. 19951h 34mR. 7.0 (129K) Rate. ...
  • Chasing Amy. 19971h 53mR. 7.2 (144K) Rate. ...
  • Dogma. 19992h 10mR. 7.3 (230K) Rate. ...
  • Clerks. 2000–20016 epsR. ...
  • Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. 20011h 44mR. ...
  • Jay and Silent Bob Do Degrassi. 20051h 13mNot Rated. ...
  • Clerks II. 20061h 37mR.

Is Mallrats a prequel to Clerks? ›

Technically a prequel to Clerks, Mallrats follows best friends Brodie and T.S., who spend their day in a mega mall trying to win back their girlfriends while getting into a series of hijinks with sordid characters.

How is Mallrats a prequel? ›

Mallrats – Takes place one day before the events in Clerks. Where's the Beef? Clerks II - Roughly ten years after Clerks. Clerks III - Roughly twenty years after Clerks II.

Who owns View Askew Productions? ›

View Askew Productions is an American film and television production company founded by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier in 1994.

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