’90s Heartthrob Reveals Drastic Move That Changed His Life

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The cast of "Dawson's Creek." (Season 3) Back row: James Van Der Beek. Middle row: Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, Meredith Monroe and Kerr Smith. Front row: Katie Holmes. 2000 Columbia/TriStar International Television. A Sony Pictures Entertainment Company.

Before Kerr Smith became a familiar face to “Dawson’s Creek” fans, the actor made a major gamble on himself.

Smith, now 54, recently reflected on the decision to leave his life behind and pursue acting in his new memoir, “I Don’t Wanna Wait: My Life on Dawson’s Creek”. As he recalled in an excerpt shared with People, he was just 23 when he decided to sell his Ford Bronco, move to New York City with a childhood friend, and give himself five years to make it as an actor.

The decision came after Smith discovered his passion for performing in a high school drama class. At the time, he had no idea that a seemingly ordinary elective would eventually put him on the path to Hollywood.

“I count performing in Mrs. Moran’s school plays as my earliest legitimate onstage experience,” Smith wrote, recalling the productions his class performed for students at local elementary schools. “The passion I felt was anything but small. The calling was real. I was on my way to being hooked.”

Parents’ Support

Although Smith understood the risks of leaving his life behind to chase an acting career, he knew he wanted to give it a shot. Smith explained that he knew “the odds of what I was proposing,” but still needed to give it a try.

“I told them I was going to sell the Bronco, take that money, and move to New York City with [childhood friend] Matt. ‘We’re gonna get an apartment… I’m gonna give myself five years to see if I can make something happen with this acting thing,'” he explained. “However disconcerting the news, in that splittest of seconds my folks fell wordlessly into lockstep. Finally, [my dad] turned his gaze from [my mom], and his eyes met mine. ‘I think you should follow your dream and take your shot.'”

That support proved especially meaningful years later, when his father admitted that he had once assumed his son would become a bartender.

“Looking back, that makes the faith he showed in me that night — the faith they both showed in me that night, and on every night thereafter — all the more remarkable,” he wrote.

Landing ‘Dawson’s Creek’

Smith’s leap of faith paid off much sooner than he had planned. Just three years after moving to New York, he landed the role of Jack McPhee on “Dawson’s Creek”, joining the popular teen drama in its second season.

Jack became one of the show’s most memorable characters, particularly after his storyline explored his sexuality. The character’s coming-out journey and subsequent relationship with Ethan (played by Adam Kaufman) became a landmark moment for LGBTQ+ representation on network television.

The series, which ran from 1998 to 2003, also starred James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams.

Smith’s new memoir, “I Don’t Wanna Wait: My Life on Dawson’s Creek”, takes readers behind the scenes of the beloved series while reflecting on the experiences that shaped his career. The book is now available wherever books are sold.