Kevin Smith and His Wife of 25 Years Have ‘No Rules’ in Their Marriage

Filmmaker Kevin Smith and his wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith, recently commemorated a quarter-century of marital bliss. The couple exchanged vows on April 25, 1999, at the iconic Skywalker Ranch and have successfully navigated Hollywood life together for 25 years.

When asked about the secret to their enduring union, the 54-year-old writer-director of The 4:30 Movie offered a refreshingly candid response to PEOPLE. “My first instinct is, well, there’ve been no rules, and that’s probably why it’s worked so well for 25 years,” Smith revealed. He added, “I can’t speak for her, but I just like seeing her. I just like being around her. She’s my human.”

The Smiths’ love story began in an unconventional manner, rooted in the world of comic books. Jennifer, now 53, was a journalist for USA Today when she interviewed Kevin about his Clerks comic book release in 1998. Smith recounted this fateful meeting in a heartfelt Instagram post celebrating their 20th anniversary of meeting.

In his post, Smith humorously recalled his initial misunderstanding when Jennifer arrived for the interview. “When I answered it, a stunning young woman roughly my age was standing there. And because up to that point, anyone I’d ever been interviewed by at USA Today had been in their late 40’s, the first thought that ran through my head when I saw the face of my future wife was ‘Oh no! Chris Rock sent a hotel bar hooker to my room!’”

Following their initial encounter, the pair developed a connection through email exchanges and lengthy phone conversations before officially becoming a couple. Their relationship quickly blossomed, with Jennifer transitioning from journalist to actress, making her debut in Smith’s 2001 film Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Reflecting on his wife’s support throughout his career, Smith expressed immense gratitude. “I spend a lot of time on the road and doing gigs elsewhere and whatnot, and over the 25 years she’s traveled with me a bunch and then lately she stays home to watch the dogs and stuff like that,” he told PEOPLE. “She’s been there shotgun through 25 years of this, and she’s always been gracious about taking a back seat to it,” he continued.

The filmmaker acknowledged the potential challenges of being married to an artist, noting, “When you’re married to an artist — an artist who lives with his or her head up their ass thinking about, ‘Oh my God, the whole world has to know what I think and feel’ — I would imagine that must be irritating to live with. But she’s lived with it for a quarter century.”

Smith’s admiration extends beyond his wife to include their daughter Harley Quinn Smith, now 25, who has followed in her parents’ footsteps by appearing in several of her father’s films. “It’s always fun to be able to sit there and make pretend with your kid,” Smith remarked, comparing their on-screen collaborations to the playful moments they shared when Harley was younger.

The proud father praised Harley’s growth as both an actor and an individual, stating, “Her maturity as an actor and as a person always capture my imagination.” He added, “But I’ve spent the better part of 25 years now just trying to make this kid laugh, and it’s one of my favorite things in the world to do.”

Smith’s journey with Jennifer has been intertwined with his professional life from the start. In his Instagram post, he reflected on the significance of their meeting, writing, “20 years ago from this moment, I’m still rehearsing with Rock, with no clue that I’m mere hours away from meeting the most important and impactful person I’ll ever know.”