Kevin Smith on the set of JERSEY GIRL (2004).
© Miramax

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Kevin Smith's Response To Dawson Snub

Director Kevin Smith has always been a straight up & honest (very honest) man with the people who follow his movies and even to those who routinely bash his work. It's only natural that he's now responded to the recent blow in regards to Rosario Dawson taking on EAGLE EYE for Paramount which leaves him and his project, ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO, out in the cold. After the actress did such a phenomenal job on CLERKS II, he went to work on this comedy specifically with her in mind. Alas, it is not to be. The actress was tapped for the DJ Caruso thriller earlier this week, a film which will be shooting between November-March of 2008.

For being snubbed of Dawson's talent, Smith is taking it in stride as he celebrated his 37th birthday this week. Here's what he had to say on his official blog.

What can I say? It kinda sucks. And not inasmuch as “Jesus - we’ll never find another actress for this role!” It kinda sucks because, like I’ve said, I wrote the part with Rosario in mind/for Rosario to play.

How did this happen, you ask?

Well… it’s kinda my fault.

I wrote “Zack and Miri” with two actors in mind for the respective leads: Rosario, natch, as Miri, and this other guy as Zack. The idea was to shoot it sometime after the first of the year, post “Red State”, but the reaction to the “Zack and Miri” script was so enthusiastic across the boards (from producer Scott Mosier, everyone at the Weinstein Co., the agents and managers of both Rosario as well as the unnamed male lead, Entertainment Weekly), that it got fast-tracked into first position (something that wasn’t hard to do, considering “Red State” wasn’t finished yet). Suddenly, we were looking at an Oct/Nov ‘07 start for “Zack and Miri”.

Then, our prospective male lead needed some time to get some stuff done, so we moved “Zack and Miri” back to a January start - which would mean a late October/early November pre-production start (precluding any pre-”Zack” start for “Red State”). This would’ve mean Rosario would be sitting on her hands all fall, waiting to shoot “Zack and Miri”. And with the impending strike, with actors not knowing if they’re gonna be working at all post-March, that’s a tough request to make of any actor.

Then, along comes “Eagle Eye” - the flick starring man-of-the-moment Shia LeBeouf, to be directed by “Disturbia” helmer D.J. Caruso - based on an original idea by…

Wait for it…

Steven fucking Spielberg.

I mean, who wouldn’t take that gig?

Problem is, “Eagle Eye” starts shooting in November and doesn’t wrap ’til Feb/March. Well, that’s not really a problem for anyone… except me and “Zack and Miri”.

So here I sit, momentarily, without a leading lady.

*sigh*

However, this is the nature of the movie business. It happens all the time. You start off thinking… knowing who your cast is gonna be, and then it changes on a dime.

I rewrote “Dogma” with Joey Lauren Adams in mind for the lead and Sam Jackson as Rufus. The parts wound up going to Linda Fiorentino and Chris Rock instead.

I wrote the first fifty pages of “Jersey Girl” for Bill Murray and Joey Lauren Adams. The parts wound up going to Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.

I wrote “Clerks II” with my wife Jen in mind to play Becky. Then, we went to Liv Tyler, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ellen Pompeo, and Sarah Silverman, before ultimately casting… Rosario Dawson. And Rosario did such an amazing job in that flick, that I wanted to put her in the next flick - “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” But alas, it’s not to be.

I’ll miss her, to be sure, but spin control dictates that I’ve gotta say maybe this is a good thing: certainly for Rosario (why be in the donkey show guy’s next picture when you’re invited into Camp Spielberg?) and maybe even for me and “Zack and Miri”. I’ve never worked with our (potential) male lead before, so it might be nice to have a female lead I’ve also never worked with before.

Anyway, there it is. I apologize that the tale’s not more juicy or that it doesn’t involve delicious bridge-burning and name-calling, but sometimes, schedules just don’t blend - no matter how much you want them to - and you just have to be understanding about a great opportunity for someone you dig. Rather than curse my friend for making the right career decision, I’m elated for her. Go, Ro, Go!

To read further and see where Kevin celebrated his 37th birthday, click on the blog link above.