Dawson's Creek

Background:

An American actor of television and film who is frequently mistaken with fellow performer Julian McMahon, Kerr Smith broke into the small screen with his memorable role as teen heartthrob Ryder Hughes on the hit soap opera “As the World Turns” (1996-1997), but it was his next regular role as Jack McPhee, the gay high school student, on The WB's popular “Dawson's Creek” (1999-2003) that really put the actor on the TV spotlight. He also starred in the drama series “E-Ring” (2005-2006, as Bobby Wilkerson) and the Fox legal drama “Justice” (2006, as Tom Nichols) as well as had recurring roles on the hit shows “Charmed” (2004-2005, as Kyle Brody) and “CSI:NY” (2007, as Drew Bedford). On the silver screen, Smith, who co-founded a production company called Proudest Monkey Entertainment, has collected several credits before focusing more on television, including the gay-themed indie “The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy” and the suspense-thriller “Final Destination” (both 2000).

Off camera, Smith has been married to actress Harmoni Everett since 2003. As a teenager, he dated the future actress Ali Hillis (together in 1988). Smith is a self-taught piano player and also plays the bass. He is a big fan of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987) and “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995), and has stated “I'd like to be on 'Star Trek,' being a Klingon would be fun.”

Smith has a home in Park City, Utah that he and his family use for skiing vacations. A computer lover, he keeps three units at his home. Smith is a certified pilot, and enjoys motorcross. He owns a dog named Maxine.

Outgoing

Childhood and Family:

Kerr Van Cleve Smith was born on March 9, 1972, in Exton, Pennsylvania, to a financial advisor father. He attended Henderson High School in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where the extroverted student became class president for three years. After graduating in 1990, Kerr enrolled in the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont and received a B.S degree in business administration four years later in 1994. Kerr enjoyed mush of his free time playing such sports as snow skiing and basketball. He has a younger sister named Allison.

Announced engagement in February 2002, Kerr and his fiance, the Canadian actress Harmoni Everett, shared a wedding vow on June 7, 2003.

Justice

Career:

Born and raised in the Philadelphia suburb of Exton, Kerr Smith had his first taste of acting in his senior year of high school when he was cast in the supporting role of Sir Edward Ramsey in a school production of “The King and I.” An aspiring businessman, Smith started a marketing firm with his father in Exton after he completed his studies, but he quickly recognized that he was much more interested in the performing part of his sales presentations rather than the actual selling. Shortly thereafter, he sold his truck and used the money to move to New York to to give acting a shot.

Smith got his first taste of show business as an extra in the 1995 film “12 Monkeys,” with his mother. Although his part was finally ended in the cutting room floor, this experience further ignited his desire to pursue acting professionally. Before long, he landed a regular gig on the popular CBS daytime drama “As the World Turns,” in which he played teen heartthrob Ryder Hughes for a year from 1996 to 1997. The notice he received from playing the role gave the fledging performer additional confidence.

In 1998, Smith made his way to Los Angeles and was cast in a guest stint as a drunken fraternity brother named Sean in the syndicated series “Baywatch.” Not long after, the actor hit the big time when he won the role of Jack McPhee on the WB successful drama “Dawson's Creek” (1998-2003), which launched the career of such young performers as Katie Holmes, James Van Der Beek and Michelle Williams. He was outstanding portraying a teen faced with accepting his homosexuality.

A year later, Smith's film career took flight. His first big screen outing, the indie-comedy “Hit and Runway” (1999), won honors in several film festival and provided the handsome player a supporting role as a gay writer with a thing for Jewish men, opposite Michael Parducci, Peter Jacobson and Judy Prescott. John Brenkus then cast him in the starring role of Kelly in the improvisational comedy “Lucid Days in Hell” (1999). He also gained some popularity that same year with his appearances on TV commercials for Gateway Computer and Carl's Junior.

In 2000, Smith found himself appearing with Timothy Olyphant, Zach Braff, Dean Cain, Andrew Keegan, Nia Long and John Mahoney in the homosexual movie “The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy,” written and helmed by Greg Berlanti, and costarred with Devon Sawa and Ali Larter in the teen horror “Final Destination,” portraying a bullying athlete. After making a guest appearance as a Collins Boy in “Blood Drops,” a 2000 episode of “CSI” Crime Scene Investigation,” Smith continued to headline the 2001 thriller movie “Forsaken,” a B movie that paired him with Brendan Fehr and Izabella Miko. He again took on the lead in the action/thriller “Pressure” (2002), about two medical students who have to battle to survive after an unusual shooting incident that propels them into a world of trouble. The same year, he also appeared as Zach Burnham on an episode of the mystery series “The Outer Limits.”

Following the demise of “Dawson's Creek” in 2003, Smith made his television movie bow with a starring role opposite Katherine Heigl in NBC's Critical Assembly” (2003). He portrayed Jason Argyle on the direct-to-video sequel “Cruel Intentions 3,” acted in the Canadian short film “Road Kill” and starred as Dennis Patterson in the failed pilot “Silver Lake” (all 2004) before joining the cast of the WB's hit show “Charmed” in the recurring role of FBI Agent Kyle Brody, a love interest for the third sister, Paige (played by Rose McGowan). He played the role in 10 episodes from October 2004 to January 2005.

Since then, Kerr has focused his attention on the small screen. After guest shoots in “CSI:Miami” and “The Closer” (both 2005), he returned to series TV as a regular performer in the drama series “E-Ring” (2005-2006), opposite Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper. Unfortunately for Smith, who played Bobby Wilkerson on the show, the Emmy award-winning series only lasted for a single season. He next starred as Tom Nicholson on the Fox legal drama “Justice” (2006), which earned an equal fate. Among his costars in the series were Victor Garber,Rebecca Mader and Eamonn Walker.

In 2007, Smith appeared in several episodes of the well-liked television series “CSI:NY,” playing Drew Bedford.

Awards:
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