In the years following the 2003 finale of ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ the talks about a possible reboot made the headlines from time to time. As whispers of new faces taking on the roles known with their actors stirred mixed reactions among fans, the original cast and crew occasionally revealed that entirely different names could have taken these parts at the very beginning.
So, based on their statements, here are seven actors that were almost cast as ‘Dawson’s Creek’ characters.
7. Adam Brody
In discussions about his early roles, Adam Brody once mentioned that he had auditioned for an unknown character in ‘Dawson’s Creek’ before ending up with his role in ‘The O.C.’ During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, he explained that he had a reading with Scott Speedman but did not secure a part.
6. Charlie Hunnam
The specifics about which role the ‘Sons Of Anarchy’ actor auditioned for are unclear, but he revealed meeting his ex-wife Katharine Towne at the auditions in the late 1990s during his past interviews. The two stayed in a relationship until their divorce in 2002.
5. Katherine Heigl
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2018, the show’s creator, Kevin Williamson, said that Katherine Heigl had been a strong consideration for the role of Jen Lindley following a ‘great audition.’ But, after meeting Michelle Williams, Williamson changed his mind, citing Heigl’s mature appearance at the time as the reason.
4. Adrian Grenier
Adrian Grenier auditioned for the main lead, Dawson Leery, around the same period as James Van Der Beek. In a 2014 HuffPost Live chat, Van Der Beek mentioned coming across the actor at the airport and having to sit ‘next to each other on the plane.’ Grenier later noted that he lost the part because the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ actor was ‘a little bit more disciplined’ than him.
3. Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Another actor who auditioned for Dawson was Ferguson, as he revealed in an Instagram post shared during season 8 of ‘Modern Family.’ Under a photo of him with James Van Der Beek, playing Beau in the 2009 show, the actor wrote that he ‘auditioned for the role of Dawson on ‘Dawson’s Creek’ and did not get the part.’
2. Jon Hamm
In a 2013 interview with Katie Couric, Hamm revealed that he arrived in Hollywood during what he called the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ era. Then, the actor explained that the show’s casting team considered him for the role of Dawson’s father due to his older appearance.
1. Selma Blair
On the 20th anniversary of ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ Kevin Williamson explained that he wanted to have Selma Blair for the role of Joey Potter. But according to his words during the Entertainment Weekly chat, Katie Holmes’ last-minute audition tape recorded in her basement changed his mind.