By Megan Dawn
When Elias told me that this week’s interview was with Kerr, I knew I had to write a
corresponding piece. I have been a fan of Kerr since he played Ryder on As The World
Turns back in the mid 1990’s. Yep, I was a soap opera girl in those days. I know, hard to
believe, right?
When Kerr came to Dawson’s Creek, in 1998, I was so excited. I knew he would be a
great addition to an already great show. And I was right. Jack McPhee was exactly what
Capeside needed. Jack’s story was so important, not just to the world, but to me –
personally – as well. We’ll get into all that in a minute.
Let me start at the beginning of Elias’ interview. And no, I am not going to regurgitate
the interview to you. You need to go watch it! It’s excellent! Hell, you should have
already watched it.
Elias and Kerr start out talking about the reunion that is happening this Monday
September 22, 2025. The big event is set to take place at the Richard Rogers Theatre
in New York City. Theatre geeks, like myself, will know this as the home to the
phenomenal musical, Hamilton. Thankfully, the fabulous cast is lending the DC gang
their home for the night.
This event is going to be a big deal for any Dawson’s Creek fan, even those of us that
couldn’t be there because the day job said so. To my understanding, the whole gang will
be there. James Van Der Beek (Dawson), Katie Holmes (Joey), Joshua Jackson
(Pacey), Michelle Williams (Jen), Kerr, Meredith Monroe (Andi), Busy Philipps (Audrey),
Mary Beth Peil (Grams), John Wesley Shipp (Mitch), Mary-Margaret Humes (Gail), and
Nina Repeta (Bessie) are all coming together in honor of James and the F Cancer
organization. An excellent organization that I have donated to a few times.
Now you are only asking why they are doing this for James and F Cancer, if you have
been living under a rock. On November 3, James revealed that he had been fighting
Stage 3 colorectal cancer. Soon after the reveal, Michelle Williams had the brilliant idea
for this ‘class reunion’, as it’s being billed, and here we are.
The gang will be reading out the script from the pilot episode. But that’s not all.
According to an article on Variety.com
(https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://variety.
com/2025/tv/news/dawsons-creek-reunion-michelle-williams-photo-op-auction-
1236521558/), there will be an auction, photo ops, as well as some other surprises. For
the love of Dionysus, someone please tell Kevin Williamson to record the event and
release it somewhere for the rest of us.
Kerr also brought up that he is in the process of writing a book about his time on
Dawson’s Creek. This news sent my heart racing and I, quite literally, jumped out of my
chair and screamed ‘YES!’ Good thing I live alone.
As a writer, a reader, and a fan of DC from the pilot – this news made my night. Over
the years, we have heard the core four talk about their time on the show, their
memories, and what it all meant to them. But we don’t get a lot of other’s experience.
For me, getting Kerr’s is extra special.
Which leads me to the next topic of discussion in this all too quick but excellent
interview. Jack’s Coming Out, the significance that it had in 1999 and on Kerr. And the
impact it had on those of us watching it from our homes.
The 1990’s was not an easy time to be queer. You didn’t talk about it. You didn’t come
out of the closet. And you sure did not see it in the movies or on tv shows. Until Jack
McPhee. This storyline was groundbreaking from start to finish. Jack was one of the first
real, gay characters. There was Rickie in 1994’s My So-Called Life (who was also a big
deal for many of us). And Jack and Will from Will & Grace, which was just starting in
1998.
Jack’s coming out was very personal for me. In 1998, I was a 22-year-old single mom of
a 2-year-old son who had just freed herself from a very traumatic relationship. And I was
very deep in the closet.
When Jack came out to his dad in that season 2 episode – all the pain and fear and
rage and tears that Kerr so masterfully portrayed – I felt every single second of that in
my bones. The scene was just beautiful in its pain. I remember sitting there and
watching that scene, crying right along with Jack, and wishing to all my gods that I could
be as brave as him.
As if that was not groundbreaking enough, the show and Greg Berlanti and Kevin
Williamson and Kerr outdid themselves at the end of season 3.
‘The kiss heard ‘round the world.’
When Jack kissed Ethan, it took the entire world by storm. Queers everywhere rejoiced,
while the – lets call them the unenlightened, clutched their pearls and sputtered. This
was the first time that two men kissing like this had ever taken place on screen. In the
interview, when Kerr mentions that they made history, this is what he is talking about.
That kiss opened so many doors for future gay couples in media. I don’t think my
beloved Malec would exist if not for that kiss. Even though Jack and Ethan did not end
up together, they gave the LGBTQ+ community hope. They made us feel scene and
appreciated. They made us feel like we actually mattered, too.
Of course, you have the ending where Jack and Doug end up together and rais Jen’s
daughter. Giving Jack his happy ending was another win for the LGBTQ+ community.
Having that be with Doug was justification – for Doug, for the fans, and for Pacey (if you
know, you know). This was another groundbreaking moment as happy gay couples
were very much thin on the ground in media, at that time.
Honestly, this one relationship paved the way for all the progress that we have managed
to carve out since. It has been quite a ride, and I am forever grateful to the show, the
writers and producers, and Kerr and Dylan.
One other interesting note about this part of the interview, I completely forgot that Jack
was not originally supposed to be gay. When Kerr started talking about that, I had an ‘oh
yeah’ moment. It was interesting to hear Kerr talk about how being faced with that
decision affected him and how he came to the decision to say yes to it. And, oh my
gods, I am so glad he did.
The final topic that Kerr and Elias talk about is a Jack and Doug spinoff. This absolutely
sounds like something that needs to be made. It’s disappointing that when Dylan and
Kerr first pitched the idea, no one took it up. But I agree with Kerr that, with all the news
around the DC cast and the show itself, now might just be the time to pitch it again. I
really hope they do and I really hope someone decides to take a chance on it.
If you have not yet watched this interview, please go watch it now. It truly is interesting.
If you’ve never seen Dawson’s Creek, well I don’t even know what to say to you about
that. Please, for the love of Dionysus, go watch it. You can be cool, like me, and buy the
collector’s box set on Blu-Ray. Or you can be modern and stream it. Either way, I
promise it is not a waste of your time.
And, if you’re a diehard fan like me, don’t forget to keep an eye out for that book.
According to Kerr, he turns it in on Thanksgiving Day. The publisher will have it for the
next year, doing what publishers do, and then it should be on its way to our hands. And,
hey, if you forget – no worries because we know I won’t. I will keep you all updated as I
see or hear anything about it.