You know you’ve got a favorite. More likely, you have several. Those movies that are absolute kryptonite to channel surfing. The ones that make you stop mid-click and hold steady. It’s hard to admit, but they’re more than just some old romantic comedy. They’re romantic comedies that you’ve already seen about a thousand times before, yet whenever you stumble across one, you can’t help but watch it again. And again. And again!
Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who is addicted to comfort films. Familiar feel-good fare is good for the soul, and everyone has a favorite. As a matter of fact, Best of NJ reached out to a whole bunch of New Jersey celebrities to discover the movies that top their “All-Time Favorite Romantic Comedy” lists. From classics to a few surprises, this list will tell you which celebrities share your tastes, and maybe introduce you to a new favorite or two.
To see more NJ celebrities sharing their favorite romcoms, click here for Part One or read the series conclusion in Part 3.
[bibblio style=”bib–row-3 bib–hover bib–white-label bib–font-arial bib–default bib–size-16 bib–shine” query_string_params=”eyJ1dG1fc291cmNlIjoiQmliYmxpbyIsInV0bV9tZWRpdW0iOiJNb2R1bGUiLCJ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ24iOiJSZWNvbW1lbmRhdGlvbnMifQ==” recommendation_type=”optimised”]
Lee Garlington
Connection to New Jersey: Born in Teaneck.
Claim to fame: An actress/director/producer with over 200 film and television credits. She is known for her work in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Field of Dreams, Dante’s Peak, Akeelah and the Bee, and Mistresses.
Favorite romantic comedy: Crazy, Stupid, Love.
“Wow. Trying to come up with one all time favorite is soooo hard!! Okay, I’ll skip the ones from my childhood and go with a more current one: Crazy, Stupid, Love. I thought the writing, acting, direction, cinematography… all of it was brilliant. I cared about every character, it made me laugh, I was charmed, and I fell even more in love with Steve Carell (if that’s possible!). Kind of like Love Actually, I thought all the story lines in Crazy, Stupid, Love were incredibly well developed and oh so cleverly woven together.”
Steve Trevelise
Connection to New Jersey: Born in Union City. Lived all over the state (Marlboro, Old Bridge, Eatontown, East Windsor, Roosevelt, Sea Isle City, and more).
Claim to fame: A comedian and talk show host known for his show on New Jersey 101.5.
Favorite romantic comedy: High Fidelity.
“First off, my all-time favorite romantic movie is Rocky, which is ultimately a love story. It’s the love between Rocky and Adrian, and it plays out through the entire run and after she dies. As far as romantic comedy, that would be High Fidelity. I know that guy! I’ve lived that guy… only Bruce never appeared to give me advice, unless I was listening to his CD.”
Kady Z
Connection to New Jersey: Two of Kady’s songs were featured on Jersey Shore and Snooki & JWoww.
Claim to fame: A charting Billboard singer/songwriter with a potent repertoire of soul-baring artistry.
Favorite romantic comedy: Dirty Dancing.
“Dirty Dancing will always be my first love. Aside from Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey being the sexiest things ever… the dancing, the music, and ‘nobody puts baby in a corner.'”
Tate Donovan
Connection to New Jersey: Born in Tenafly.
Claim to fame: An actor/director with well over 100 film and television credits. He is known for his work in and on Ally McBeal, Disney’s Hercules, The O.C., Nip/Tuck, Gossip Girl, Glee, and The Fosters.
Favorite romantic comedy: Four Weddings and a Funeral.
“Rowan Atkinson is hilarious (‘the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spigot’), Hugh Grant is at his most charming, Andie MacDowell is gorgeous, and it has the first fully formed, loving, gay relationship ever in a romantic comedy. It also features one of the most beautiful love poems ever written: ‘Funeral Blues’ by W. H. Auden.”
Mary Birdsong
Connection to New Jersey: Grew up in Long Beach Island.
Claim to fame: An actress/writer/producer/comedian/singer known for her work on Reno 911!, The Descendants, Masters of Sex, and Scream Queens.
Favorite romantic comedy: Strictly Ballroom.
“My all-time favorite romantic comedy? It’s a toss-up between Sid and Nancy and Days of Wine and Roses. No, wait, I got it. Strictly Ballroom! It’s one of Baz Lurhmann’s earlier (if not the earliest?) films — I just love his work. The lead female character, Fran, is such a quintessentially lovable protagonist — you just root for her from the get-go. It’s one of the first romcoms I can remember seeing where it was the female chasing the male, instead of the other way around. It managed to objectify the male romantic lead without making him one-dimensional. Fran was so heartbreakingly pathetic and incredibly courageous and self-respecting at the same time.”
“P.S. Wishing all my Jersey peeps (especially in South Jersey), a wonderfully romantic Valentine’s Day, even if it’s spent like mine — in super sexy sweatpants, making sweet, sweet love to a frozen burrito. Ha ha ha.”
Dean Friedman
Connection to New Jersey: Born and raised in Paramus.
Claim to fame: An influential singer/songwriter who wrote the hit song “Ariel;” has written, performed, and produced the theme music to a number of television series; and has had his music covered by groups such as The Barenaked Ladies and Ben Folds Five.
Favorite romantic comedy: Arsenic and Old Lace.
“This classic comedy, directed by Frank Capra, starring Cary Grant and Priscilla Lane, is proof that true love can survive the most peculiar family relations — even if they include a cousin subject to delusions of being Teddy Roosevelt and a pair of elderly aunts who may very well be serial killers.”
Joanna Cassidy
Connection to New Jersey: Born in Camden, raised in Haddonfield.
Claim to fame: A model/actress/producer with over 150 film and television credits. She is known for her work in Falcon Crest, Blade Runner, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, Melrose Place, and Bones.
Favorite romantic comedy: It Happened One Night.
“The stars were deliciously in sync with each other, their lines clever and wickedly spoken, and Clarke Gable and Claudette Colbert were not too hard to look at. Their wit was sharp and wonderfully delivered. Frank Capra was a master at comedy and of course, at that time, didn’t rely on curse words or gross situations to be funny. To me, those times and films had class, style, and the wardrobe was beyond. Aside from the British films like the ones with Monty Python, the early comedies were the winners.”
Nalani & Sarina
Connection to New Jersey: Reside in west-central NJ.
Claim to fame: Critically acclaimed identical twin singer / songwriters who formed Telepathy Records LLC.
Favorite romantic comedy: Annie Hall.
“This is one of those classic movies that perfectly encompasses a new relationship in all its glories and faults. Everything from the script to the storyline. The movie feels so real and authentic from beginning to end without appearing cheesy or cliché. What makes a great movie, especially a romantic comedy, is the ability to watch the film numerous times without getting sick of it. This movie is just that for us.”
Hero (Top) Feature Image: © Scott Griessel / Adobe Stock
Additional Images (in Order) Courtesy:
Lee Garlington: Photo Provided by Lee Garlington
Steve Trevelise: NJ 101.5 / Website
Kady Z: Photo Provided by Kady Z
Tate Donovan / Wikimedia Commons
Mary Birdsong: Photo Taken by Ben Cope
Dean Friedman / Website
Joanna Cassidy / Wikimedia Commons
