Writer/director Kevin Smith recently revealed the unique condition that Carrie Fisher had to appear in his 2001 comedy,Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.While not exactly a sequel toClerks, the movie is still part of the universe, focusing on the titular drug dealers played by Smith and Jason Mewes. Considering the title is a direct reference toEmpire Strikes Back,Princess Leia starCarrie Fisher also had a role,portraying the Nun, who provides the characters with a car ride.
In a YouTube video forGQto promote his new film,The 4:30 Movie, Smith broke down his most iconic films, includingJay and Silent Bob Strike Back.One of the anecdotes he shared was about how Carrie Fisher agreed to appear in the film. Rather than asking for an exorbitant fee, or even the actor’s salary,theStar Warsalum asked only for the amount needed to cover a pair of antique beaver chairsthat she had been eyeing up. Read his full account below:
…when Carrie came, she said, “What you are going to pay me is the value of these two antique beaver chairs that I’ve had my eye on for the last month. So you guys buy me those beaver chairs, and I’ll be in the movie.” And so we did. We bought her the beaver chairs. I think they were like three thousand bucks or something like that…. So she shows up on the day we shoot, and she’s like, “Hi, I’m Carrie,” and I was like, “I’m a massive fan, man, like, growing up, naturally," blah, blah, blah. She’s like, “Thank you.” She’d heard it all before. And I was like, “But I got to tell you, I’ll never forget. You’re the only person I’ve ever worked with who was like, ‘Pay me in antique beaver chairs.’ What’s that all about? And she was like, “The beaver chairs? I thought that’d be appropriate for this movie.” And I was like, “There’s a screenwriter. There’s a writer,” I says.
What Carrie Fisher’s Demands Meant for Her Legacy
Cementing Her Iconic Status
Carrie Fisher was a cultural icon. In addition to her starring role in one of the biggest sci-fi franchises of all time, shewas also an accomplished screenwriter and author. She penned numerous books, includingPostcards from the Edge, Wishful Drinking, The Princess Diarist, and Shockaholic.She also wrote the screenplay for the film version ofPostcards from the Edge,a handful of episodes ofThe Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, and a few broadcasts of the Academy Awards.
She was also known to say pretty much whatever she wanted (often about her own life) with little concern for the consequences.
Additionally,Fisher was one of Hollywood’s go-to script doctors, punching up established scripts likeHook, Sister Act, Last Action Hero, The River Wild, The Wedding Singer, Scream 3,andStar Wars: The Last Jedi.Shewas also known to say pretty much whatever she wanted(often about her own life) with little concern for the consequences.This trait endeared her to her fans, so Smith’s recollection of her beaver chair demands seems pretty on point for Fisher and cements her iconic status even further.
Our Take Carrie Fisher’sJay and Silent Bob Strike BackCameo
Fisher Always Played Against Type
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Backhad its fair share of celebrity cameos, including Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, George Carlin, Chris Rock, Alanis Morissette, Mark Hamill, and Will Ferrell. Carrie Fisher’s cameo was brief, but memorable, as she portrayed a nun, whichwas very much in contrast with her real-life lifestyle.
Kevin Smith’s View Askewniverse Movie Timeline Explained
Kevin Smith has been making movies for almost 30 years, but he is perhaps best known for his View Askewniverse, a film saga as old as his career.
After Jay and Silent Bob are picked up by Fisher while hitchhiking, a misunderstanding about following “the Book” (Fisher was referring to the Holy Bible, whereas Jay was referring to the Unwritten Book of the Road), leads to Jay attempting to perform a certain act on Fisher, forcing her to kick them out. It’s a short but funny scene, and Fisher is always welcoming on screen. It’s just fortunate thatJay and Silent Bob Strikes Backproduction was willing to give her the $3000 she needed to get those antique beaver chairs.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Cast
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 comedy film directed by Kevin Smith, starring Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith as the titular characters. The plot follows the duo as they embark on a cross-country journey to Hollywood to prevent a film based on their likenesses from being made. Along the way, they encounter various comedic misadventures and cameos from the View Askewniverse.
