As Jack McPhee, Kerr Smith made serious waves on 'Dawson's Creek.' What's interesting about his time on the show is that though Kerr played a 16-year-old, he was already 26 at the time.
But even more notable than Smith's age at the time (nearly every actor played someone younger than their true age) was that he had one of TV's firsts on the show, notes FactMonster.
Earlier on in the series, Jack briefly dates Joey, AKA Katie Holmes (but even James van der Beek agrees that Joey and Pacey are a perfect match). But by season three of 'Dawson's Creek,' Jack has his 'coming out' scene and then smooches Ethan (Adam Kauffman).
It's been 20 years since that epic moment, but as NBC reported, Kerr noted that he knew the moment was pivotal and aimed to give it due justice. And, Smith explained in 2019, he's glad he did it — even though the scripted moment was "intense."
As for what Kerr did after 'Dawson's Creek' wrapped? He didn't leave the Hollywood scene, that's for sure. In fact, he went on to enjoy a role on 'Charmed,' starred in a film with Katherine Heigl, was the final prankee on 'Punk'd,' and had a longer-running (and soon to be rebooted) role on 'Life Unexpected.'
Smith has also been on 'The Fosters' and 'Riverdale.' And it's his recent role on the cult classic that led tabloids to call him a "silver fox."
Yes, like the rest of the 'Dawson's Creek' cast, including Katie Holmes, who's undergone a total transformation, Kerr Smith has aged a bit! He really doesn't look like he's nearing fifty (two years to go!), though he's a bit less recognizable as Jack these days.
Though he's dyed his hair for 'Riverdale,' it seems that Kerr is naturally going silver, though he doesn't seem to have a problem with it.
It might be all that acting that's keeping Smith spry. Though he's also kept busy off the set with skiing, mountain biking, and gardening. Not to mention, he co-owns a "holistic health and wellness business" with his second wife, Lisa. Maybe those holistic methods of addressing aging are Kerr's secret to looking just as young as his 'Dawson's Creek' days.
Really, it doesn't appear that Kerr is slowing down any, even though 'Dawson's Creek' is 20 years in the past. He may not be as well-known as stars like Katie Holmes or James van der Beek, but he's carved out a place for himself (and his acting talent) in the industry.