Lin-Manuel Miranda on Dawson’s Creek Reunion

by

Lin-Manuel Miranda did not throw away his shot to help a friend. 

Lin-Manuel Miranda filled in for James Van Der Beek at the *Dawson’s Creek* reunion in New York City on September 22nd. He explained that his friend, *Hamilton* director Thomas Kail, asked him to step in after James, who is undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer, came down with two stomach viruses and couldn’t make it to the event.

Lin-Manuel Miranda shared on Instagram that James Van Der Beek was sick with a virus and couldn’t make it to New York for the Dawson’s Creek reunion on Monday. Miranda explained that because he’s godfather to Michelle Williams and Thomas Kail’s child, he stepped in to cover for Van Der Beek at the last minute. He posted photos from rehearsals with costars Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams.

Lin-Manuel Miranda wanted to ensure James, who was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023, remained involved after he stepped in to cover for him. He did this by sending James behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the event.

It felt like something out of the show *Quantum Leap*, honestly,” the 45-year-old explained. “I was incredibly lucky to step in as an understudy, allowing the audience’s appreciation for James, his family, and the amazing cast and show to continue. I even got to perform onstage with @reneeelisegoldsberry! I sent James pictures and videos throughout rehearsals and the performance.

Lin-Manuel recently shared behind-the-scenes photos, including a cute selfie with James’ wife, Kimberly, and their kids – Olivia, 14, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 2. He also posted a video of Joshua’s reaction to hearing Mary Beth Peil read her lines, a touching moment onstage with Michelle and Katie Holmes, and a funny meme of him and James pulling the same expression.

The *Mary Poppins* actor received encouraging comments, including one from Kimberly who wrote, “You. If anyone was going to do it, it had to be you. Thank you.”

Even though James couldn’t travel from Texas to New York City, he still participated in the event. The 48-year-old actor, best known for playing Dawson Leery, surprised everyone by appearing on video and calling the audience “the best fans in the world.”

Kimberly was grateful for the support and affection shown to her husband by the cast of *Dawson’s Creek* and their fans while he was away.

Kimberly shared on Instagram that the night was incredibly special for her family, but what meant the most was seeing the overwhelming support and love for her husband in the theater.

For more on Dawson’s Creek’s legacy, and secrets, keep reading…

While Fox was first to pick up Dawson’s Creek, it subsequently dumped the teen drama. 

At the 2015 ATX TV Festival, series creator Kevin Williamson explained that the network was already having difficulties with the show *Party of Five* and didn’t want to take on another struggling series.

But that paved the way for The WB to pick it up two years later.

Although Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait” is famously known as the theme song for *Dawson’s Creek*, the show’s creators initially preferred Alanis Morissette’s “Hand in My Pocket.”

Alas, they couldn’t land the rights, what a jagged little pill.

Dawson. Pacey. Joey. Not names you hear every day. So how did Williamson come up with them? 

In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dawson explained that the town in the show, Dawson’s Creek, was based on a real place where he and his friends spent their childhoods. He said the character Pacey was named after someone he knew of only through a friend – he’d never actually met anyone named Pacey and just liked the sound of it.

As a lifestyle expert, I always consider the layers of a character’s name. With Josephine, the creator, Williamson, specifically wanted a name that felt inherently feminine, but with the built-in potential to evolve into something more playful and androgynous – like the nickname Joey. It’s about hinting at a multifaceted personality right from the start!

Remember Dawson’s infamous “walk the dog” line in the pilot?

In 1998, the television network prohibited the use of the word “masturbate,” so Williamson used a more delicate phrase instead.

Before Katie Holmes became known as America’s sweetheart, Blake Lively was very close to getting the part.

The character of Joe was originally conceived as a tomboy, and many of the actresses auditioning embodied that quality. Selma Blair was a strong contender; she gave a particularly compelling and heartfelt reading during her audition, according to Williamson.

But when Williamson saw Holmes on video, with his “large eyes,” he immediately realized they’d found the right person for the role of Joey.

Williamson liked Joshua Jackson so much, he didn’t care what role the Mighty Ducks alum played.

I was immediately drawn to Josh Jackson’s acting ability – he could convincingly play either Dawson or Pacey, as I told *The Hollywood Reporter*. However, the network felt he wasn’t right for the role of Dawson, and they were correct. That’s when I decided he’d be perfect as Pacey, because I was determined to have him on the show no matter what.

In 1999, a young Charlie Hunnam, then 18 years old, auditioned for a drama on The WB. Although he wasn’t cast in the role, he met Katherine Towne during the audition process.

Hunnam and his wife eloped to Las Vegas just three weeks after meeting, but their marriage ended in divorce in 2002, which he later described to the Associated Press as “three terrible, painful, expensive years.”

Dawson’s Creek became so popular that American Eagle inked a deal in 2000 to outfit the actors.

Throughout the third season, the show’s characters were primarily dressed in American Eagle clothing. The cast also promoted the brand in ad campaigns, which helped American Eagle earn over $105 million in 2001.

When James Van Der Beek was first cast, the studio wanted him to change his hair.

He remembered telling The Daily Beast in 2012 that an advertisement for the movie *The Devil’s Own*, starring Brad Pitt, sparked his iconic first-season haircut. Apparently, someone asked about Brad Pitt’s hairstyle, and that’s what inspired his own look.

Early in the series, Holmes and Jackson were a couple, before Joey and Pacey started developing feelings for each other.

In a 1998 interview with *Rolling Stone*, Holmes revealed she had a romantic relationship with Michael Jackson the previous year. She described falling in love for the first time, calling it an unforgettable experience she would always cherish. She also expressed gratitude that they remained close and were now good friends, jokingly comparing their bond to the platonic relationship between Dawson and Joey on the television show *Dawson’s Creek*.

She also shared that he’s a seasoned professional who has been a great help to her. She values their friendship and respects his work ethic.

When Kerr Smith initially agreed to play Joey’s boyfriend on the show, he didn’t realize his character would later come out as gay and be featured in what was then a groundbreaking first-ever gay kiss on television.

“I always knew I wanted Jack to come out of the closet, but I didn’t even tell [Smith],” Williamson said at the ATX TV Festival. “Let the audience love him, then let’s have him come out of the closet and have Joey have to deal with that—and then that would eventually drive her back to [Dawson].”

Interestingly, Williamson has shared that he sees a part of himself in every character on the show, even Jack.

He explained to Entertainment Weekly in 2018 that every character in the show contains a part of himself. He’d recently come out to his parents in his 20s and wanted to portray that experience – and that part of his identity – through a character on the show.

The episode where Jack came out was based on a real-life story and was written with help from both Williamson and producer Greg Berlanti.

Berlanti shared a story about a friend who was unintentionally outed. According to Berlanti, this happened because the friend wrote a love poem that everyone recognized was about a man.

Michelle Williams and Busy Philipps have been best friends ever since they first met on the set of *Dawson’s Creek*, and they remain close to this day.

In 2016, at a screening of *Manchester by the Sea*, Williams told *People* magazine how much she loves her close friend. She explained that this friend proves true love doesn’t need to be romantic, calling her ‘the love of my life.’ They often attended red carpet events together.

Philipps is also godmother to Williams’ daughter Matilda Ledger, who was born in 2005.

The episode where Dawson lost his virginity was a major event, and actor Van Der Beek marked the occasion by bringing a unique gift to the set on filming day.

He recalled bringing champagne to celebrate a milestone for Dawson-the loss of his virginity, as he told The Daily Beast.

Before becoming famous on *One Tree Hill*, Chad Michael Murray appeared on *Dawson’s Creek* as Charlie, who dated both Jen and Joey.

Although Charlie was sociable, Murray didn’t seem to connect with many people during his initial time in North Carolina, where *OTH* was later filmed.

Okay, so, back in 2009 at this Paley thing, Busy Philipps actually *called* Matthew McConaughey a douche! Can you believe it? But then, being the queen she is, she immediately followed it up with, ‘Honestly, I’m not losing any sleep over possibly upsetting CMM.’ Like, she just doesn’t care about offending him, which, honestly, is amazing and I totally get it. It’s just… *Busy* being Busy, and I live for it.

Van Der Beek also mentioned that Chad Michael Murray has improved a lot. After the panel, Philipps tweeted that she might have been too critical of him, but then decided she probably wasn’t.

Murray, on the other hand, has stayed out of the drama, mentioning in 2015 that he gained valuable lessons from the situation.

When I joined the cast of *Dawson’s Creek*, I was lucky enough to learn from people who were a few years ahead of me, like Michelle, James, Katie, and Josh. They’d already been working for five or six years, and they took the time to show me how things worked. I was completely new to the technical side of filming – I didn’t even understand basic lighting! I really appreciate them taking me under their wing and sharing their knowledge.

Over the years, *Dawson’s Creek* featured a surprising number of well-known actors, including future stars like Seth Rogen, Jane Lynch, Julie Bowen, Scott Foley, Jensen Ackles, Hilarie Burton, Rachel Leigh Cook, Ali Larter, and Oliver Hudson.

Young Americans was a brief television series that followed Will Krudski, played by Rodney Scott, and his friends as they navigated life at Rawley Academy, a boarding school. It was a spin-off focusing on a character from another show.

Also starring Ian Somerhalder and Kate Bosworth, it was canceled after just one season.

The central romantic conflict of the show wrapped up in the 2003 finale when Joey ultimately chose Pacey.

You know, when I first heard the original plans for the show’s ending, it was almost totally different! The creator, Williamson, initially thought a certain couple would end up together. But then, about halfway through writing the final episode, he had a real ‘aha’ moment. He realized that pairing wouldn’t actually *fit* the story we were telling – it just wasn’t the natural conclusion for these characters and the world we’d built. It was a tough call, but ultimately the right one for the show’s overall arc.

He shared at the ATX TV Festival that he aimed to create a fresh take on teen dramas, focusing on authenticity and exploring the idea of soul mates in a realistic way. He explained that the story unfolded as it did to ensure a satisfying conclusion where the characters, now like a family, all achieved their desires and found happiness.

He unexpectedly changed his decision, and the outcome became a famous moment caught on television. However, Williamson revealed that his mother, who was on the Team Dawson side, wasn’t pleased with the turn of events.

The final episode jumped forward in time five years, and the group was grappling with the heartbreaking loss of Jen.

As a huge fan, I always felt that moment was pivotal. It wasn’t just shock value; creator Kevin Williamson has said that killing Jen was a deliberate choice to really push the characters into adulthood. The whole show was about growing up, and he wanted that final, heartbreaking event – dealing with the death of someone they all loved – to be the thing that truly forced them to confront what being an adult meant. It was a tough decision, but I think it ultimately served the story’s purpose.

Some of the executive producers who get their start on Dawson’s? 

Julie Plec, known for creating shows like *The Vampire Diaries* and *The Originals*, Greg Berlanti (who’s worked on *Everwood*, *Arrow*, *The Flash*, *Riverdale*, and many films), Rob Thomas (*Veronica Mars*, *iZombie*), Jenny Bicks (*Sex and the City*), Anna Fricke (*Being Human*), Dana Baratta (*Jessica Jones*), and numerous other talented writers contributed to the project.

Read More

2025-09-24 16:53