Jessica Biel remembers that awkward almost-kiss with on screen brother Barry Watson during the 7th Heaven pilot — but she thinks the original script had them go even farther than what made it to the final edit.
“I do think we shot it. I think, at the time, everyone was [thinking], ‘This isn’t really gonna work!’” Biel, 43, confessed during the Sunday, March 30, episode of the “Catching Up With the Camdens” podcast. “Everybody seemed to think this was not the best move for these siblings on this show.”
The podcast’s latest 7th Heaven rewatch featured hosts David Gallagher, Beverley Mitchell and Mackenzie Rosman reuniting with Biel to reflect on their early days working together.
The 1996 episode, “Anything You Want,” features an uncomfortable moment where Mary Camden (Biel) asks her older brother Matt (Watson) to teach her how to kiss a boy. Matt seems uncomfortable with Mary’s demand, but they are interrupted before kissing by their father, Reverend Eric Camden (Stephen Collins).
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“This isn’t what it looks like,” Matt tells his dad, with Eric responding, “That’s a relief.”
The pilot underwent extensive changes between filming and airing on TV, leading to confusion over whether Biel and Watson shot an alternate version of the scene where they actually kissed.
“We’ve been talking about it,” Mitchell, 44, admitted to Biel in their podcast reunion. “We thought [there was a kiss] but we know it never made it to air. I couldn’t remember if you guys actually had to shoot it?”
The actress quipped,, “Honestly, I don’t know if that was real or not,” before admitting that her “14-year-old self” was probably excited by the chance to shoot a kissing scene with her older costar. Mitchell later pointed out that Biel had “a few makeout scenes” with guest stars throughout 7th Heaven’s first season.
“I mean, someone had to do it,” Biel teased.
This isn’t the first time the awkward sibling moment has been addressed by the cast since going viral online. In March 2024, Watson told 7th Heaven fans during a ‘90s Con panel in Hartford, Connecticut that executive producer Aaron Spelling came up with Mary and Matt’s kissing scene.
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“I knew then, I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this,’” Waston, 50, remembered. “And I found out from [Brenda Hampton], the creator, that it was Aaron that insisted on having that scene. That was the only time I ever questioned Aaron’s creativity because I always think, ‘This would never happen.’”
He insisted the duo had not “made out” for the scene, but then quipped, “Of course, back then, Jessie probably wouldn’t have minded.”
On Sunday’s “Catching Up With the Camdens,” Biel also reflected on another embarrassing moment on the 7th Heaven set when she reminded her costars about the time she damaged their school trailer.
“I popped the clutch in my parents’ Subaru when I had my learner’s permit, not my real license. And I flew backwards and reversed into Mackenzie’s school trailer and busted it off its supports. Broke the computer,” she recalled.
“The computer got smashed, my parents’ car got smashed and I almost hit my brother [Justin Biel],” Biel conceded.
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Biel was on 7th Heaven for its first six seasons, before leaving the show after landing a starring role in the reboot of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and a supporting part in Marvel’s Blade: Trinity.
Biel made guest appearances on 7th Heaven several times after quitting the show, having last appeared in the season 10 finale “…And Thank You (Part 2).” The 2006 installment was originally envisioned as the last-ever 7th Heaven episode — and, thus, also brought back Gallagher and Watson — but the show was ultimately renewed for one more season when The WB and UPN combined into The CW in 2006.
