‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star Kerr Smith Shares Behind-The-Scenes Stories From the Show

Getty

Kerr Smith is revisiting one of the defining moments of his career in a new memoir. The “Dawson’s Creek” star shares how producers approached him about a major change to Jack McPhee’s story. His account offers fans a look at the conversations that helped shape one of the show’s most memorable characters.

Kerr Smith Recalls an Unexpected Meeting

In his memoir, “I Don’t Want to Wait,” Smith looks back on joining “Dawson’s Creek” during its second season. According to Variety, the actor includes a detailed account of the day creator Kevin Williamson asked him to get coffee.

At first, Smith had no idea what the meeting was about. He had only been working on the show for a few months. He wondered whether he was about to lose his job.

At the coffee shop, Williamson explained that the team wanted to take Jack in a different direction. Smith recalled the moment in the memoir. He wrote that he was trying to remain casual while his heart was “pounding out of my chest.”

“Dawson’s Creek” Producers Had a Major Idea for Jack

Williamson and executive producer Greg Berlanti wanted Jack to become a gay teen character on prime-time television.

Smith admitted that the request carried a lot of weight. It was his first major prime-time role. He also understood that the new direction could change how audiences viewed his character on “Dawson’s Creek.”

Smith asked for the rest of the day to think. He wanted to speak with people he trusted before making a decision. His sister Alison encouraged him to embrace the opportunity. She told him he would “crush this” and bring authenticity and heart to the role.

John Wesley Shipp Offered Some Memorable Advice

Smith also turned to John Wesley Shipp, who played Dawson’s father, Mitch Leery. The two went to lunch while Smith considered the decision.

As reported by The Guardian, Shipp encouraged him to trust the material. He reminded Smith that agreeing to the storyline would give him the chance to work with Williamson’s writing at its best.

Shipp also advised him not to feel pressured to explain his own sexuality in public. Smith later said he wanted Jack to feel like a real person. He pushed back on suggestions to change the character’s hair or make him seem different after coming out.

That approach became an important part of the character in “Dawson’s Creek.” Williamson shared the same view. He wanted Jack to remain himself, rather than suddenly change after coming out.

The actor eventually returned to the set and gave Williamson his answer. “I’m in,” he recalled telling the creator.

Jack McPhee’s Dawson’s Creek Story Made Television History

The storyline went on to become a landmark moment for the series. In its third-season finale, Jack shared a kiss with fellow student Ethan, played by Adam Kaufman. The Guardian reported that the scene became the first kiss between two men on primetime network television in the United States.

Smith remembered feeling nervous while filming it. He said the actors completed 10 takes. A director then offered a simple reminder: the scene was about two characters who loved each other.

The impact of the storyline continued long after “Dawson’s Creek” first aired. In a 2020 interview cited by The Guardian, Smith said he still hears from fans who tell him what Jack meant to them. Some viewers have even told him they might not be here today without “Dawson’s Creek.”