The Cast Of Dawson's Creek What They Looked Like In Their First Episode vs. Now
It's insane to think that the teen drama Dawson's Creek made its debut on the airwaves two decades ago, back in 1998. It seems like only yesterday that we were tuning in to see what Joey, Dawson, Pacey and the whole gang were up to. It was the project that made so many of the cast household names, and since people are still watching the show to this day, it's earning them new fans every day.
Through the show's six seasons, fans saw love, loss, heartbreak and everything in between. They saw the gang navigating high school, and then navigating the world of college and real jobs. Everyone was either team Dawson or team Pacey and everyone kind of wanted to be Joey Potter. And, most importantly, everyone wanted to live in the idyllic town of Capeside.
Have you ever wondered what your favorite Capeside teens got up to in the years since the show wrapped? It's been 20 years since it first aired! Sure, you may have seen some of the cast in various projects, but why not catch up with the whole Capeside crew? They've certainly gotten up to a lot over the past 15 to 20 years. We can practically hear Paula Cole's iconic song playing.
17 James Van Der Beek, The Lovable Dawson Leery
James Van Der Beek's character definitely had fans and haters, but there would be no Dawson's Creek without Dawson - I mean, his name was in the title! While he appeared in several movies while he was filming the teen drama, he eventually returned to the world of television in the cheeky sitcom Don't Trust The B-- In Apt. 23. He definitely wasn't the most comedic on the show, so it's interesting to see that he's gravitating primarily towards comedic roles nowadays. He also tackled an interesting mockumentary, What Would Diplo Do?, where he puts himself in the famed DJ/producer's shoes. Well, we have to hand it to him - his post-Capeside career has certainly been filled with interesting roles. We have a feeling Dawson would have been proud - after all, Hollywood was always his dream!
16 Katie Holmes, Who Played The Prettiest Girl Next Door Joey Potter
I mean, everyone knows what Katie Holmes has been up to. When the show started, she was just a 19-year-old aspiring starlet who managed to snag a huge role very early in her career. She ended up falling for A-List actor Tom Cruise, tying the knot, having her daughter Suri, and a lot of the attention was on her romantic life rather than her work for several years. She's since split with Cruise and continued to do what she does best - act. And we have to hand it to her, she's definitely not played it safe and stuck to wholesome, Joey Potter-like roles. She's starred in a few indie flicks and even played the iconic Jackie Kennedy on screen in two projects. She tackles dramas, comedies, and everything in between - we can't wait to see what she has planned next.
15 Michelle Williams, Who Played The Sweet And Spicy Jen Lindley
It's become quite trendy for actors in their mid-20s to play high school students - there are a lot of aspiring starlets in that age range that can easily pass for younger. However, when Michelle Williams got the role of NYC transplant Jen on the show, she was the real deal - she was only 17 years old! Fans fell for her over the years, and her character's death was absolutely heartbreaking. She's appeared in a lot of extremely challenging roles, in films like Brokeback Mountain (where she met her late husband Heath Ledger, the father of her adorable daughter Matilda), Blue Valentine and My Week With Marilyn. While we'd absolutely love to see Williams on our television screens again, we kind of love the trajectory of her film career, so hopefully she continues to tackle the meaty roles she's been excelling in.
14 Joshua Jackson, Everyone's Favourite Bad Boy Pacey Witter
Everyone loves a bad boy, and the world definitely fell for the sarcastic Pacey Witter. Sure, Dawson may have seemed like a more fitting choice for Joey, but the more we saw Jackson on screen and saw what he brought to the character, the more it seemed that Pacey was Joey's perfect match. Jackson returned to television in another drama, Fringe, and also snagged a role on The Affair. However, he hasn't given up the film world completely - he's starred in a few indie films over the years, including the stunning One Week. He's been busy with his television schedule over the years, but perhaps if his role on The Affair ever wraps, he'll snag another leading role. He's definitely got the acting chops for just about any kind of character.
13 Mary Beth Peil, Who Was Evelyn 'Grams' Ryan, The Grandmother We All Wanted
Grams and Jen definitely had a tumultuous relationship on the show, although they ended up very close at the end of the series. Even though she was decades older than the main cast, Peil always brought something special to the show - everyone wanted to be shipped off to Grams' house because it just seemed like such a warm, welcoming place to be. Peil herself is an insanely talented actor who actually trained as an opera singer and sang with the New York City Opera (who knew?!). She got her start on stage and began adding a few screen credits to her name in the '90s. While she's taken on the occasion role here and there, her true love is still the theatre - in the past decade alone, she's appeared six productions and even snagged a Tony nomination.
12 Kerr Smith, Who Played The Athletic Jack McPhee
Okay, first of all, we're completely shook that Kerr Smith now has grey hair - I mean, he's only 45! He was already in his mid-'20s when he began playing high school student Jack McPhee, and his age probably helped him deal with the complex character he was playing - in fact, did you know that Jack was the first character to have an on-screen gay kiss in the U.S.? Talk about a trailblazer! He's gotten a few roles over the years, but never anything as major as the role of Jack. However, a comment he recently made on Coast to Coast AM shed some light on his personal interests - he apparently loves UFOlogy and spirituality, and has his eye on sci-fi films or television shows. Perhaps we'll see him on the screen soon playing someone in another world.
11 Mary-Margaret Humes, Who Played Dawson's Mom Gail Leery
Like many actors who play the parents on teen dramas, Mary-Margaret Humes had a successful career before she ever stepped foot in Capeside. Humes has been acting since 1980, snagging small roles year after year, but the role of Gail Leery is definitely her most well known - after all, she appeared in 93 episodes of the show! Even though she may not have had a major story arc and as much screen time as her younger co-stars, she definitely had a strong presence. Unlike many actors, she seems to have never been interested in the silver screen - her credits are exclusively television roles, with the odd television movie thrown in for variety. Hey, if you recognize what works, stick with it! She has more credits than most aspiring actors could ever dream of.
10 Nina Repeta, Big Sister Bessie Potter Who Was Always Giving Joey Advice
One of the things many fans loved about the show was Joey's relationship with her big sister Bessie. Nina Repeta played the role perfectly, so it may be surprising to know that she hasn't actually had a ton of acting credits, either before or since. She's kept an incredibly low profile, appearing in a few projects here and there but mostly staying out of the spotlight. She had a child with her hubby Mike back in 2008, so perhaps she's been focused on motherhood and all it entails. One thing is for sure - the world of Hollywood isn't easy, so we totally don't fault Repeta for taking a step back after spending years and years on the show. She has 88 episodes playing the same character under her belt, which is something that not many actors have.
9 Meredith Monroe, Who Played The Troubled Andie McPhee
Who could ever forget Meredith Monroe, whose wide Julie Roberts-esque smile totally brought Andie McPhee to life. She definitely had some tough storylines over the course of the show, but she always played them with skill. Monroe has never snagged a role with quite as much mass appeal as Andie McPhee, but she's certainly been busy over the years since the show wrapped - she's added a few credits to her filmography just about every year, appearing in episodes of a variety of shows. Sometimes, it's just a matter of finding the right character - she's still young, and she could easily snag a role that stretches across multiple seasons of a successful television show again. Although we have to admit - we'll always kind of think of her as Andie McPhee. Perhaps she and Kerr Smith can play siblings in another project - they were perfect together.
8 Busy Philipps, Who Played Joey's College Roommate Audrey Liddell
Busy Philipps didn't join the cast until later on in the show when Joey was in college, but she's definitely one of the most famous of the former stars. Philipps was a big name in Hollywood before becoming Audrey Liddell, thanks to her role on the cult hit Freaks and Geeks, and ended up striking television gold yet again when she snagged the role of Laurie Keller on Cougar Town. She filmed nearly 100 episodes of the show, and it only wrapped in 2015. Since then, she's snagged a recurring role on the show Vice Principals, New Girl, Drunk History and more. Her career is absolutely flaming hot, and we have no doubt she'll strike television gold yet again if that's the direction she decides to go. She's absolutely charming on screen in just about any role.
7 Sasha Alexander, Who Played Gretchen Witter, Pacey's Cool Older Sister
Sasha Alexander played Gretchen Witter, Pacey's older sister, perfectly - they were so believable as siblings, and she brought a little sparkle and edge to every scene she was in. The multi-talented actress - did you know she speaks Serbian, English and Italian? - may have only appeared in a handful of episodes on Dawson's Creek, but she's no stranger to television - she snagged a main role on NCIS as special agent Caitlin Todd, then the leading role as Dr. Maura Isles on the show Rizzoli & Isles, and struck gold et again playing Helene Runyon on Shameless. She has a few film credits to her name, but television appears to be the venue where she truly shines, and we can't wait to see what character she ends up playing next.
6 Mark Matkevich, Who Played Jen's Bad Boy Former Friend Drue Valentine
Okay, let's just be honest for a second - everyone hated Drue. And it's not because of anything that Matkevich did, he's a fantastic actor who played the role perfectly - it was just a character that was really hard to love. Since the show wrapped, he's appeared on a variety of television shows, but the most important detail of his life is his entry into the art world. He opened Axiom Contemporary, an art gallery in Santa Monica, in 2011 alongside a business partner. He's since traveled the world with his company, appearing at international art fairs. We have to admit - spending your time in a stunning 3,000 square foot art gallery in Santa Monica seems a lot more pleasant than spending hours in a cramped trailer on a film set, so hey - maybe he's got it all figured out!
5 Oliver Hudson, One Of Joey Potter's Many Love Interests, Eddie Doling
Oliver Hudson is no stranger to the film industry - both his mother, Goldie Hawn, and his sister, Kate Hudson, are icons in the industry. So, it makes sense that Hudson would opt to enter the entertainment industry as well. He may not have had a major role on Dawson's Creek, playing Joey's love interest for a short period of time, but he's definitely had major success in television. He played Adam Rhodes in the comedy Rules of Engagement for around 5 years, and then went on to star as the villainous Jeff Fordham on Nashville. When his character there was killed off, he snagged a role on Scream Queens. And now, he'll be appearing on the comedy Splitting Up Together. The man just jumps from television success to television success!
4 Bianca Kajlich, Who Played Dawson's Diva Actress Girlfriend Natasha
Bianca Kajlich had a short but very memorable role as the diva actress Natasha on the show, the one who captivated Dawson as much as the film industry captivated him. She went on to star with another Dawson's Creek alum, Oliver Hudson, on the show Rules of Engagement, then went on to star in the show Undateable. Being a series regular on a television show doesn't allow for much time for other projects, so she's been busy with that, but now that she's no longer attached to a big project she has more time to explore other roles. We can't wait to see what she has coming up - based on her track record, it'll probably be a fantastic television role. We'd love to see her tackle a dramatic role after spending so much time in the world of sitcoms.
3 Michael Pitt, Who Played Jen's Boyfriend Henry Parker
Henry Parker wasn't exactly the most memorable character in the world - although Jen certainly loved him - but that's no fault of Michael Pitt's. He's a hugely talented actor who has appeared in a ton of fascinating roles, from The Dreamers to The Village, Boardwalk Empire to Hannibal. He recently snagged a role in Ghost in the Shell. The only consistent thing about his roles is the fact that he's not afraid to tackle tougher characters and meatier plots, which we totally love. And, as if that weren't enough, he's also a musician. We're not sure what projects he'll be tackling next, but one thing is for sure - they'll definitely be interesting. He's an indie darling if there ever was one, so we have a feeling that's the direction he'll end up taking next.
2 Monica Keena, Who Played Capeside's Resident Bad Girl Abby Morgan
We have a soft spot for Monica Keena - after all, who didn't absolutely love the unapologetic bad girl Abby Morgan? It's crazy to find out that she only appeared in 14 episodes of the show, because she was such a memorable character. Since leaving Capeside, Keena has been working consistently, snagging smaller roles in films, appearing in one-off characters arcs on a variety of television shows, and even lending her voice to a video game. She may not be a household name, but she's been working consistently as an actress for over two decades now, which is certainly no small feat. She keeps a low profile and stays out of the tabloids, but we have to admit, we'd love to learn a little more about what she's been up to and what her life looks like.
1 Chad Michael Murray, Who Played Womanizer Charlie Todd
Obviously, everyone knows what Chad Michael Murray has been up to since leaving Capeside. The actor went from one teen drama to another, snagging the main role of Lucas Scott on the drama One Tree Hill. He was on the show for six seasons before deciding to leave to pursue other projects, and he's snagged main roles in television shows since, appearing in Chosen, Scream Queens and Sun Records. Oh, and he started up a career as an author, joining forces with actress Heather Graham to pen the romance thriller American Drifter: An Exhilarating Tale of Love and Murder. Who knows what's next for this multi-talented man - he seems to always be tackling new projects and trying his hand in new industries. He also has two children now, though, which probably keeps him pretty busy as well.