‘I’ve Been Down This Road Before’: Dawson’s Creek Alum James Van Der Beek Recalls The Moment He Realized The Show Would Change His Career

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Despite a gap of several decades between the finale of “Dawson’s Creek” and today’s 2025 TV shows, the influence of this 1998 WB series remains vibrant. It played a significant role in launching numerous careers, among them Katie Holmes’, Michelle Williams’, and James Van Der Beek‘s. Initially, Van Der Beek wasn’t optimistic about being cast as Dawson Leery, but he soon found that his initial doubts quickly faded away due to some crucial events surrounding the pilot episode’s airing.

As a passionate cinephile looking back on my journey, I recently teamed up with my former co-star Kerr Smith (remember Jack McPhee from Dawson’s Creek?) at the Steel City Comic Con to reminisce about all things Capeside. Unlike when I was just starting out on a relatively unknown network TV show like Varsity Blues, I didn’t anticipate much would change this time around. However, I recall feeling somewhat disappointed when a movie project I had taken on right before DC didn’t pan out.

It wasn’t until I noticed people chattering about the billboards and saw them with my own eyes that things began to click for me. In my own words, “I knew then and there.

While I was in Dawson’s Creek, which is located in North Carolina, it was quite a distance from Hollywood. At that time, we were airing on the WB Network, a channel I couldn’t even receive on my dorm room’s closed-circuit cable. Some folks asked me, ‘Are you prepared for this to alter your life?’ To which I responded, ‘I’ve been down this path before; this won’t make any difference.’ They mentioned they were putting up billboards, and I shrugged it off. Later, they flew me to L.A., and when I saw a billboard displaying my face enlarged dramatically beyond my actual size and my name on the billboard, I realized that things were indeed different this time.

It’s surprising to consider television programming before teen dramas became dominant. At that time, only a few shows were specifically designed for young audiences. The 90s helped this genre grow, but Dawson’s Creek quickly gained widespread popularity. It’s not unreasonable that James Van Der Beek might not have anticipated the success of his role in the series before it was broadcast.

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself taken aback when I saw my name displayed prominently on the marquee, and this response is directly linked to my moniker.

I found it incredibly amusing since I’ve always had to type my name, which requires pressing the shift key four times (J, V, space, shift), so when I realized someone else was doing the same, it seemed incredibly funny and made me burst out laughing.

In an unusual manner, given the author of the ad and his four-part name, it seems like something that might be characteristic of Dawson Leery. Frankly, I didn’t anticipate a young creative on the brink of stardom would prioritize such matters, but then again, it’s hard to predict one’s own actions in such situations.

In a short while after his billboard revelations, another instance caught Van Der Beek’s attention during an appearance. Surprisingly, there were far more enthusiastic and vocal fans present than he had anticipated. It was then that this rising star began to embrace his destiny. According to the actor himself:

After two weeks, I had a performance scheduled in Seattle, where I was informed that approximately 100 people would attend. However, I was doubtful, expressing my skepticism, “There won’t be 100 people here.” To my surprise, over 500 enthusiastic fans showed up, causing quite a commotion. In that moment, I realized that the event would be significantly larger than I had ever anticipated.

It’s great that Van Der Beek learned about Dawson’s rapid success, even though he felt the show veered off course early on. As time passed, characters like Dawson Leery (Van Der Beek), Joey Potter (Holmes), Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams), and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson) from the show became instantly recognizable figures in pop culture. Many of these cast members, including the actor from Varsity Blues , continue to be asked about the iconic series even today, although they recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its debut.

With each fresh group of viewers signing up for Hulu, the conversation has grown even larger. However, it appears that a growing number of people believe that Dawson Leery may have his less-than-favorable moments due to some questionable behavior, much to the dismay of the former Capeside star. Nevertheless, the Capeside family and their portrayers are likely to be remembered with greater affection in the minds of viewers.

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2025-04-16 16:08