TV SERIES · 1998– · USA
Dawson's Creek
51 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (51)
- #001
Kerr Smith (Jack McPhee) and Joshua Jackson (Pacey Witter) are the only two regulars who directed an episode during the series' six-season run.
- #002
Many props from creator Kevin Williamson's films Scream (1996) and I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) were used on the series, particularly in Dawson's bedroom.
- #003
Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson were a real-life couple early in the series' run.
- #004
The necklace Dawson wore in most episodes was made by James Van Der Beek's mother. The wardrobe staff focused on every piece of clothing Dawson wore.
- #005
Every episode of the first season begins in Dawson's room.
- #006
Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) is the only character to appear in all 128 episodes.
- #007
Nearly 500 actors auditioned for the role of Dawson.
- #008
Joshua Jackson was considered for the role of Dawson before he was cast as Pacey.
- #009
Most of the artists and songs featured in the two-part series finale were songs intended for the original pilot that had turned out to be too expensive to license at the time.
- #010
Filming an episode took seven days.
- #011
This series and One Tree Hill (2003) were filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina.
- #012
James Van Der Beek's surname means "from the stream" in Dutch. The surname is common in the Netherlands, but it is written with a lowercase "van der," which would place his name alphabetically under B.
- #013
Abby Morgan was killed off because Monica Keena wanted her character written out of the series. Her boyfriend at the time lived in New York and did not like being in Wilmington, North Carolina, where the series was filmed.
- #014
Fox, which was struggling with the ratings of Party of Five (1994), passed on the series. The WB became interested in other teen series after Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) became a hit.
- #015
Chad Michael Murray appeared on Gilmore Girls (2000) and One Tree Hill (2003) at the same time. James Van Der Beek even appeared on One Tree Hill in its sixth season.
- #016
It is one of three television programs on The WB to say the word "shit." The others are Everwood (2002) (though it was muted) and One Tree Hill (2003).
- #017
Most of the actors playing teenagers throughout the series were actually in their twenties or older. This is a common practice on television because it gets around child labor laws limiting the hours minors can work on set and allows production to continue without interfering with their real-life education. Casting adults also provides more experienced actors and gives producers more freedom to depict adult or sexual content. In fact, Meredith Monroe was 29 when she was cast as the 16-year-old Andie McPhee.
- #018
The series was originally set in North Carolina, where creator Kevin Williamson spent his teenage years (and where it was actually filmed), but Columbia TriStar Television ordered that it be filmed in Boston, Massachusetts. Williamson then created the fictional small town of Capeside.
- #019
There is a real park named Dawson Creek in Hillsboro, Oregon.
- #020
In 2018, Dylan Neal commented on the series and the role of Doug Witter: "I was very happy that things turned out the way they did between Jack [McPhee] and Doug and how appropriate it was that they finally came together to solidify their love. It was a beautiful moment on a show that always handled gay rights and themes with great care and honesty at a time when other networks wouldn't go near them."
- #021
Selma Blair auditioned for the role of Joey Potter.
- #022
Jason Biggs auditioned for the role of Pacey Witter.
- #023
The producers intended to expand Doug's role and his closeted homosexuality in the second season, but Dylan Neal's sudden departure to work on Hyperion Bay (1998) made this impossible. Doug was nevertheless revealed to be gay in the final season.
- #024
Bodie was played by George Gaffney in the pilot and by Obi Ndefo for the rest of the series.
- #025
Steven Spielberg is frequently mentioned as Dawson's directorial inspiration. Michelle Williams went on to earn a Best Actress Oscar nomination for playing a version of Spielberg's mother in The Fabelmans (2022), which Spielberg directed.
- #026
Charlie Hunnam auditioned for a role on this series but did not get it. He later starred alongside Katie Holmes in the film Abandon (2002).
- #027
This series was the last television series to be dubbed into Portuguese in Portugal. All foreign television series that followed were subtitled.
- #028
There are several references to Tom Cruise in the early seasons. Joey and Dawson watch a scene from Jerry Maguire (1996). Pacey later watches it when he is suspended from school. Pacey and Eve (Jen's stepsister) persuade Dawson to let them use his house for a Risky Business (1983)-themed fundraiser to pay for a boat accident. Katie Holmes later became Cruise's third wife.
- #029
All 13 episodes of the first season were in the can before the pilot premiered.
- #030
"Grams" was the nickname given to Jen Lindley's grandmother in The Vampire Diaries (2009) and to Bonnie Bennett's grandmother; Kevin Williamson created both series. The same nickname was also used for a character on Charmed (1998).
- #031
Oliver Hudson and Bianca Kajlich later played an engaged couple on Rules of Engagement (2007).
- #032
Dawson's Creek (1998) had a Turkish version called Daydreaming (2007).
- #033
It was originally started as a project at Fox but was rejected.
- #034
Despite having significant roles throughout the series, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps never appear together in an episode.
- #035
Throughout the series there are several scenes in which a wire or strand of hair is visibly caught on the camera lens.
- #036
Michelle Williams and Kerr Smith appeared in an episode of Baywatch (1989).
- #037
Four Twin Peaks (1990) stars made guest appearances on Dawson's Creek: Dana Ashbrook as Rich Rinaldi (9 episodes); Mädchen Amick as Nicole Kennedy (3 episodes); Sherilyn Fenn as Alex Pearl (3 episodes); and Ray Wise as Roger Stepavich (1 episode). The characters never appeared in the same episodes or were connected to one another, except that Ray Wise appeared alongside Dana Ashbrook.
- #038
Katherine Heigl auditioned for the role of Jen Lindley.
- #039
Despite the series being named after his character, James Van Der Beek did not appear in six episodes across the show's run: two in the fifth season and four in the sixth.
- #040
Dawson's admiration for Steven Spielberg and his films is referenced many times. He and Katie Holmes share a birthday: December 18.
- #041
Ian Bohen and Melissa Ponzio appeared in Teen Wolf (2011).
- #042
Mitch Leery was also the real name of John Malkovich's character in the film In the Line of Fire (1993).
- #043
Audrey's absence from the series finale came about because creator Kevin Williamson, who had been away from the show for several years and returned to write the finale, had not created the character of Audrey and did not know how to write her, so he left her out. Busy Philipps, who played Audrey, openly expressed how unhappy she was with this decision.
- #044
Sasha Alexander and Pauley Perrette appeared in NCIS (2003).
- #045
Meredith Monroe, Scott Foley and Jennifer Morrison appeared in House (2004).
- #046
James Van Der Beek was offered the chance to direct an episode of the series, but the offer was ultimately withdrawn.
- #047
The actors Meredith Monroe (Andie McPhee), John Finn (John Witter, Pacey's father) and Eion Bailey (Billy Konrad, Jen's ex-boyfriend) all appeared in episodes of Cold Case (2003).
- #048
William Katt was among the many actors who auditioned for the role of Mitch Leery (Dawson's father).
- #049
Rosemary Forsyth auditioned for the role of Evelyn "Grams" Ryan.
- #050
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Adrian Grenier auditioned for the role of Dawson Leery.
- #051
Adam Brody and Scott Speedman auditioned for roles.
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