"I started writing JERSEY GIRL in 1999," says writer/ director Kevin Smith, who was working on the Clerks cartoon at the time and wanted to write "something with a little more depth to it, in order to stay balanced." Smith explains, "My daughter was about six months old and the three of us [my wife, my daughter and I] were staying in a rented apartment for a couple of months. I was thinking about my daughter [and the responsibilities of parenting] and I went upstairs and just started writing. After about two hours, I had the first fifty pages of JERSEY GIRL." Smith continues, "Those first scenes, including when the twist happens in the movie, didn't really change from that point on. They just sat on my computer for about two years until I was at a Fourth of July party at Affleck's house. He was urging me to write something more like Chasing Amy again, something more character-driven. So I told him about the pages I had written and sent them over to him, and after he read them, he said 'finish this - this is what we should do next.' So, at that point I essentially started writing the role of Ollie for Ben, and by January 2002 I was finished with the first draft."

A prolific writer whose work has spanned film, television and comic books, Smith is perhaps most famous for his creation of characters Jay and Silent Bob, two modern-day nomads who begin their cinematic journey in Smith's Sundance acclaimed Clerks and culminate their voyage in the most recent installment of the series, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. But JERSEY GIRL marks something new for the filmmaker, as these recurring characters do not appear in the film. Smith says, "The first five movies we made were all interconnected in one way or another, the most obvious being Jay and Silent Bob. The other differences are pretty glaring in that JERSEY GIRL is not about a couple of guys sitting around, ripping about pop-culture or talking about comic books. This is a very honest and human story. I was kind of working without a net in that it's not filled with the jokes and the humor that are so central to my other films. Although the film begins with tragedy, there definitely is humor in the film as there is in life's most painful situations."

Affleck also recalls his first glimpse at JERSEY GIRL and the subsequent script. "I loved the initial pages of the story that Kevin sent me. It's a beautiful script and in some ways very classic. There is a certain feel to the script that is very traditional and 'PG-13,' which is a first for Kevin Smith. But, then it also has Kevin's sensibility, which gives it an edge and a certain perspective of the world that is uniquely his."

For Affleck, working again with Smith [JERSEY GIRL is their fifth collaboration together, along with producer Scott Mosier] was intriguing and at the same time, a certainty. "It's exciting to work with Kevin so many times and to see him reach and break new ground," says Affleck. "I wanted to be included in the process. In some ways there's continuity to it, by the mere fact that Kevin and I have worked together several times before. But, in other ways it's a brand new experience. It's like taking a trip to a place you've never been with an old friend. The history that I have with Kevin makes it nice. We've grown to communicate well together and share a particular sense of humor that he sort of writes for now."

Scott Mosier agrees. The producer, who has been partnered with Kevin since the two met at film school over a decade ago, notes the difference, "We were really young starting out and I think for the first three or four films there was a little feeling of being on shaky ground. With this film it feels like we are standing on concrete." On collaborating with Smith [this is the duo's sixth film under the View Askew Productions banner], Mosier simply states, "We're very good friends, and we know we have to maintain that above everything else. The way we work is kind of like the yin-yang idea. Our personalities are a little bit different so we manage to offset each other's strengths and weaknesses. But at the end of the day, he's the director, and it's important that he gets what he thinks the movie needs."

The Characters...

In JERSEY GIRL, Affleck portrays a man who is transformed by an incredible emotional journey. The actor explains, "When Ollie fell in love, his priorities shifted more towards family, and then he and Gertrude have a child together. Here's a guy who is work-oriented, he's a publicist who spends a lot of time in the music business, and he's unaware of the sort of dual nature of it. On the one hand his job is fun and glamorous and sexy, and on the other hand totally irrelevant to anything substantial in the real world. So, it takes this really significant relationship with his child to make him reevaluate his life. It sounds kind of sub-textual for a Kevin Smith movie, but it's a very traditional classic theme and story that never gets tired of being told if you do it well."

Liv Tyler enjoyed depicting Maya, Ollie's love interest after his wife passes away. "As an actress it has been incredible," she says. "I was thinking about it the other day because rarely do you see female parts like this. Maya is funny and incredibly intelligent and sensitive and womanly. She is totally independent and her own strong woman. She's all these things in one. For that to be written on the page and to be able to come in and morph into this character was something I really enjoyed doing."

As for Maya's relationship with Ollie, Tyler continues, "I think Maya is trying to show Ollie that what he has is okay, and the fantasy of what he wants is not necessarily what he needs. She feels safe around him, and she wants to help him."

On re-teaming with Affleck [the two starred together in Armageddon], Tyler says "This time it has been really great because we already had an understanding and a friendship coming into it. And we've gotten a lot closer." She adds, "Of all the leading male actors I've worked with, Ben really stands out. He is really present when he is acting with me, and a really good listener. We respond to each other and therefore we can play and change lines around. He's very generous in that way. I really trust him."

Affleck adds, "Liv is a sweetheart. She's great in the film and there is an ease and a comfort I have working with her. Since Liv and I have known each other for some time, the only challenge was to try to forget all the history in order to portray these characters' relationship. We had to start over with this whole new dynamic."

Finding the young girl to play Gertie required a nationwide casting call. Mosier says, "At Miramax's recommendation, we enlisted Avy Kaufman, who had cast 'The Sixth Sense' and other films with strong children's roles. She crossed the country, looking at hundreds and hundreds of kids and then Kevin and I looked at her selects. Raquel was somebody that we picked very early on. She was always the one we wanted in the back of our minds." Smith explains, "Raquel kind of rose to the top. I didn't want someone who was 'movie cute' and 'darling.' I wanted a more natural performance. Raquel was unpolished. In addition, it certainly didn't hurt that she bears a striking resemblance to Jennifer [Lopez], and even to Ben to some degrees. (When we were casting, we took Raquel's head shot and placed it next to Ben's and Jennifer's headshots and the resemblance was uncanny. She looked like the child they would have.) But, primarily I went with Raquel because she was just not the obvious 'Hollywood' choice. Her delivery is far more organic than you would expect from a child who has so much screen time. Her performance plays like a real kid who we just plucked out of her own life."

For nine-year-old Raquel, who describes Gertie as "part tomboy, part girly-girl," JERSEY GIRL was a dream come true. "I really like working on the movie," she says. "It's pretty fun working with big stars, and Kevin is the best director. He's really funny and if I do something that I'm not supposed to, he just talks to me really nice."

As for working with her on-screen dad, Raquel adds, "It's fun because I've seen Ben in a lot of really big movies, and I feel really lucky. He's so funny. One day, when we were doing a scene in a kitchen, he forgot the stove was really on and he leaned back and burned his butt. He was like, 'Cut! I burned my butt!' He always comes up to me and picks me up and he kisses me. It actually does feel like he's my dad."

Affleck says, "I had never worked on a film that relied so heavily on a child. It's interesting because I was an actor when I was a little kid, and I have some good memories and some bad memories. So, there's a part of me that really does feel like a parent [to Raquel], and wants to protect her and make sure that she is able to have some perspective on what she's doing. By that same token, she's just great. She motors along and really does a great job. And she looks a lot like Jennifer, I think, which is really affecting. She's really sweet."

Raquel enjoyed her experience working with each of the actors. She says that her friends were "pretty jealous" that she got to work with Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler. She also thinks that George Carlin is "hysterical." When asked what JERSEY GIRL is about, she simply states, "Well, I'm the Jersey Girl, so I guess it's sort of about me."

Playing the role of Bart Trinkie, Ollie's father, was somewhat of a new experience for comic legend George Carlin. "This is the longest acting part I've had," he states. But it is also is more dramatic than his previous roles. Carlin says, "You can see in the relationship between Ollie and Bart that there's a love underneath all the sort of playful bickering and exchange of wise guy attitudes. That's what shows - that and a more serious side of the relationship." While very comfortable working with Affleck, Carlin also enjoyed doing scenes with his on-screen granddaughter: "She's very talkative, in a good way, She's very smart for her age and she's so bubbly and full of energy."

Jersey Girl is Carlin's third film under Smith's direction - the first two being Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Having such familiarity with Smith put Carlin at ease: "It's the only time I've ever worked more than once with a director, and I'm extremely comfortable with him. Also, he had written the role in my voice, so to speak, and I kind of understood a lot about what this fellow's background might be. It felt like a really easy fit." On how this film differs from Smith's earlier films, Carlin explains, "Kevin has what I guess you would call a wonderful Eastern sensibility - not just Jersey - that is very in tune with a certain part of the population, a certain age group. He understands them very well and translates it to film well. Jersey Girl shows a more human side, in terms of romance and people's dreams."

Jennifer Lopez, who plays Gertrude - the mother that Gertie never meets - came on board after Ben gave her the script to read. Although the role was small, Jennifer jumped at the opportunity to work with Kevin Smith. "I read the script and it was so strong," she comments. "Kevin really captures life in a way that is very special. Plus, the character was an unexpected type for me to play, and that really attracted me to the project." On the message of the film, Lopez continues, "The film is not necessarily about the gains of the world, but rather the gains of your soul, and your heart, and doing right by that. That's how you become a fulfilled person."

Rounding out the cast is Jason Biggs in the role of Arthur, Ollie's protégé. Recently coming off his cameo in Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Biggs was eager to re-team with the director: "I heard Kevin was doing another movie and immediately sought out the script to find if there was a potential part for me." Once he read the script, Biggs realized the role was a perfect fit: "It was like he wrote the part for me. I mean he wrote me."

On the cast, Smith comments, "The performances in the movie, I think, are kind of sublime. In my opinion, Ben's doing his best work. Liv Tyler has turned in her best performance to date that I've ever seen, and George Carlin is pulling out all the stops, doing something far more dramatic than he's ever done. Jason Biggs is great, as is Jennifer. And of course, Raquel is terrific. Across the board it's incredibly fulfilling to see everybody so committed to the movie. It's a great compliment that everyone is willing to go above and beyond for the story."

The Look...

The filming of JERSEY GIRL primarily took place in Paulsboro, New Jersey and Philadelphia. On choosing these locations, Mosier says "The film is pretty much set in the town where Kevin grew up in Highlands, New Jersey, and that was a very important part to the script. But since we also had a lot to shoot in New York, we needed to make a cost effective decision. Philadelphia was a city that had a crew base and a great film commission. So, making the decision to base in Philly allowed us access to a major city, a place to build a sound stage, office space, personnel and equipment. But then in five minutes, we could be over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and in New Jersey and have the look we needed." Other filming locations included the actual town of Highlands, New Jersey and of course, the Big Apple.

On certain days, hundreds of fans would come to the set of JERSEY GIRL to get a glimpse of the cast and cheer them on. Smith notes, "We were completely blown away. At first we were worried that it might interfere with filming, but people were really respectful and we didn't lose a single shot based on spectators. People are curious about how movies are made. Before I was a filmmaker, I was curious about it. That's why we do the stuff that we do."

Legendary director of photography Vilmos Zsigmond and his team of expert lighting technicians created the look of JERSEY GIRL. As Mosier points out, this was a departure for Smith and a new area of focus: "On this film, we finally had a substantial budget and more time to spend on shooting, and we hired Vilmos who has an amazing vision. I think people will see something that is more put together, with smoother camera moves as they watch these characters' lives unfold." Smith says, "Vilmos is a master of light, and he's really photographed a beautiful movie. I wish I could take the credit, but it's truly him. He took the script and went above and beyond the page."

Zsigmond says, "My approach in shooting films is based on the script and how to create a mood for each scene. In this picture, some of my favorite scenes to shoot were the scenes with Raquel, which were happy and colorful; the Lighthouse scene, which was full of mood; and the scenes in New York and especially Central Park, which was a magical location."

A legendary cinematographer with great technical expertise, Zsigmond insists that fancy camera moves were not his goal. "There were really no special techniques [in JERSEY GIRL]. I'm more interested in an honest attempt at storytelling. The script had meaning and sensitivity. Kevin told me it came from his personal experience, which really appealed to me. This was a movie about character development and people in whom we can recognize ourselves."

On working with Smith, Zsigmond adds, "It was great to work with Kevin. I think we felt a tremendous amount of respect for each other. He recognized what I could do for the film, visually, and I greatly admired his work as a writer and director." On the cast and crew, he adds, "We had great actors, and I loved working with each of them. It was important to me that the hard work they put in come out 100% [on screen]. In addition, I had a first rate crew. Our chief lighting technician Bill O'Leary, whom I had never worked with before, and our key grip Dicky Deats and his team were great. So was the Philadelphia-based crew. I could not have done it without them. Together, we made this story come alive."

Production designer Robert "Ratface" Holtzman, who has designed the last three of Smith's films (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Dogma, Chasing Amy) says, "The big thing is that we have Vilmos Zsigmond working with us. I wanted Kevin visually to open up more. Through the use of color and the way that Vilmos is shooting the film, we get to feel the emotional roller-coaster that Ben's character is going through."

With costumes that reflect the same visual exploration, designer Juliet Polcsa ("Sopranos") had a wonderful time creating the wardrobe for the characters in JERSEY GIRL. Polcsa says, "We were looking for that element of realism to just keep everything natural and not overly-portrayed." On describing the highlights of individual characters, Polcsa notes the shift in wardrobe for Affleck's character as Ollie continues his journey through the story. She also mentions the more relaxed, bohemian look of Liv Tyler's Maya who is somewhat of a "salt of the earth" type of character. And then there is Jennifer Lopez's Gertrude, whose color palette is soft and whose character's look "harkens back to a prototype for that classy woman from another era, who is still accessible in today's world."

Wrapping it up...

Observing the production in progress, Smith and Mosier couldn't be more proud. "Up and down the board, we've filled every position with really incredible people," says Mosier on the cast and crew of JERSEY GIRL. Smith adds that some things never change. Even when one embarks on new ground, it is essential to have a familiar team, "I always find it's best to continue working with people who have given you their best in the past. It sounds trite and cliché, but why switch horses in mid-stream?"

As Affleck notes, "One reason there's been so much energy and excitement on the set of JERSEY GIRL is because everyone involved really gets along. Every once and a while you're lucky enough to work on a movie where you feel that way."