Harry Connick Jr.

When NBC’s Will & Grace ends its eight-year run Thursday, another relationship will bow out as well: Leo & Grace. Harry Connick Jr., who plays ex-husband Dr. Leo Markus, will return for the finale to a pregnant Grace (Debra Messing) – but will he stay? The 38-year-old Connick, who recently earned a Tony nomination for his starring role in The Pajama Game and is married to model Jill Goodacre, talked to PEOPLE about Leo and Grace’s future, his favorite moments and being the best kisser.

What is your favorite Will & Grace moment?
The day after I met Debra Messing, I filled her dressing room with flowers. I’d found out it was her birthday and I thought that would be a nice thing to do. But I guess it kind of backfired.

What did Debra think?
Uh, you’d better ask her.

So, Debra, what about Harry’s flowers?
(Debra Messing:) He’s such a liar! He’s Dennis the Menace. The truth is we became friends quickly, and it was revealed to Harry that I am deathly allergic to flowers. My throat closes and I get hives and it’s an ugly, ugly thing.

So the morning after I meet Harry for the first time, I walk into my dressing room and every available space is covered with flowers. The card says, “Happy Birthday. Love, Harry.” In five minutes, every one of those flowers was out on the sidewalk.

Harry, what was your first impression of Debra?
I love Debra. She’s a great person. From the first day I met her, I had a pretty good feeling we would get along famously and I was right.

What did you do better than any of Grace’s other on-screen lovers?

Ask Debra who was the best kisser of all her (TV) boyfriends. I will be very, very surprised if she doesn’t say I was the best.

As the cheating husband, Leo was not always the fans’ favorite.
People who were really into the show didn’t want to see Grace get hurt. So, yes, they didn’t want to see me make her miserable.

Looking into the future, what do you see for Leo and Grace? Will they be reunited, will they live happy ever after?
I like to think that long after the finale airs, Leo and Grace go on and they live a very, very happy life together with their little family.