James Van Der Beek Said ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Fans Were ‘Always’ Disappointed by His Take on Pacey & Joey
- - James Van Der Beek Said ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Fans Were ‘Always’ Disappointed by His Take on Pacey & Joey
Nicole MooreFebruary 12, 2026 at 5:03 AM
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Late actor James Van Der Beek, who died on February 11 after a battle with colorectal cancer, found mainstream success after being cast as Dawson Leery in the beloved WB show, Dawson's Creek.
Throughout the show's six-season run, Joey Potter, played by Katie Holmes, had romances with both Dawson, her childhood best friend, and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson). In a panel at the Steel City Con in April 2025, Van Der Beek was asked how he felt about Joey ending up with Pacey in the series finale, which premiered in 2003.
Van Der Beek replied that he doesn't have a problem with Joey picking Pacey instead of Dawson, which upset some Dawson's Creek fans.
"I get asked this all the time and the answer is always disappointing for people. Because as an actor I thought it made sense, you know what I mean?" said Van Der Beek on the panel.
He explained that he "wasn't invested as a fan in terms of like team Dawson or team Pacey," so he was looking at the love triangle in terms of overall story.
"I thought it made sense and everybody's always disappointed when I say that because I didn't really have that strong of an opinion on it. But yeah, I thought it made sense," said Van Der Beek.
James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, and Joshua Jackson Spoke About Their 'Dawson's Creek' Characters' Love Lives in 2018
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Dawson's Creek, the cast spoke to People magazine about the series in 2018. While speaking to the publication, Van Der Beek said that Joey ending up with Pacey "made more sense" than if she had been with Dawson.
Jackson also said that he liked Pacey and Joey's ending.
"Yes of course I did. My vanity knows no bounds," quipped Jackson in the 2018 interview.
Meanwhile, Holmes said she had difficulty choosing between Dawson and Pacey for Joey.
"That's a hard one," said Holmes while speaking to People.
She then said that she was "glad" the show's creator, Kevin Williamson, "had to make the decision" and not her.
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
