Mallrats - Production

Production

After the success of the independent hit Clerks, writer/director Kevin Smith and his best friend/producer Scott Mosier began to make their second film. After a screening of Clerks, producer James Jacks approached them to do another film for Universal Studios. Smith soon finished the script for this new film, and casting began. They cast Jeremy London, an actor with a TV series and a few films to his credit as T.S. Shannen Doherty was the most famous cast member after her appearances in many films and the hit TV shows Little House on the Prairie and Beverly Hills, 90210 (there is a reference to the latter when Willam mistakenly calls Rene Brenda). Jason Lee was cast with no prior acting experience; before the film he was a professional skateboarder. Lee has since appeared in all of Smith's films except Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Red State, and is the godfather of Smith's child, Harley Quinn Smith. Since Mallrats, Lee has gone on to achieve fame as the title character on the TV show My Name is Earl. Affleck, who was a relative unknown at the time, was cast as Shannon Hamilton. He later achieved fame and starred in films such as Good Will Hunting and The Sum of All Fears. Affleck has also appeared in all of Smith's films, with the exception of Clerks, Cop Out, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, and Red State. Joey Lauren Adams was cast as Gwen Turner. She would later date Smith, and during that time he wrote the main character in Chasing Amy for her. Ethan Suplee was cast as Willam Black. Mosier was supposed to reprise the role, but Smith and the film's producers were so impressed with Suplee that they cast him instead. The most troublesome role to cast was Jay, as the studio did not want Jason Mewes to reprise his role from Clerks, which Smith had written for him. Mewes had to audition for the part against actors such as Seth Green and Breckin Meyer.