Dawson's Creek Star Reflects on Controversial Student-Teacher Romance

In a recent interview, actress Busy Philipps, who starred in the hit teen drama Dawson's Creek, discussed a storyline from the show that featured her former onscreen boyfriend's character, Pacey Witter, and his teacher. Philipps, who played the character Audrey Liddell, says that in the pilot episode, Pacey, who was 15 years old at the time, becomes romantically involved with his 36-year-old English teacher, Tamara Jacobs.

Philipps describes the relationship as "insanely inappropriate" and says it "just goes to show you culturally how much we have changed for the better." During a recent Dawson's Creek reunion event, Philipps didn't reprise her role as Audrey, but instead read the part of Tamara, the teacher involved in the controversial storyline.

Philipps explains that the show's creator, Kevin Williamson, was no longer involved when her character Audrey was added in the later seasons. "After the show, I said, 'Well, Kevin, I guess you did write a part for me on Dawson's Creek. You just didn't know that it would take 20 years for me to be the right age to play it,' " she jokes.

The actor who played Pacey, Joshua Jackson, has also previously commented on the storyline, saying he didn't believe it was handled poorly, but that it was important to explore that part of young adulthood. However, he acknowledged the "double standard" and said the onus was on the older person to recognize the inappropriateness of the relationship.