Jay and Silent Bob's Jason Mewes Says Kevin Smith Was a True Friend During His Struggle with Addiction

The actor revealed during a recent appearance on "Steve-O's Wild Ride!" podcast how his  filmmaker friend was a force for good in his life.

Smith gave Mewes his big break with indie film "Clerks" in 1994, since then the duo have collaborated numerous times.

During his chat with the Jackass star, Mewes said Smith likely saved his life by insisting he become sober over the years. One of the ways Smith encouraged him was to make it a stipulation for working on his films such as "Dogma" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back."

Mewes also said he had hit rock bottom more than once, recalling a particularly painful memory from a Thanksgiving years before, where Smith wouldn't allow him inside his house.

"I remember me and him sitting out in front of his house, and he's crying, saying 'I want to let you in, but the whole family is here.' And I had like a tank-top on, and I had track marks. And he's like, 'I can't have you see them like that.' And I'm like, 'I can't come in for a plate of Thanksgiving dinner?' And he's like, 'You can't. Here, I am going to bring you some food.' That was the first time I got sober for a while."

Mewes made it clear that his longtime friend always treated him as a member of his own family, and in his efforts to save him Smith never made him feel shame or judgment for his struggles.

Of his friend, he said, "All the trouble I had, I had Kevin's support and I know that made a big difference in the outcome of everything."

The actor says he currently has 11 years of sobriety.