See the Cast of 'Dawson's Creek' Then and Now

Dawson's Creek landed on TV airwaves in 1998 and immediately became a sensation. Starring James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson as a trio of childhood best friends, the show followed the normal highs and lows of teen life and chronicled how the group and their families navigated joy and loss.

Since the series ended in 2003, most of the cast has gone on to enjoy continued success on TV and in movies. Most of them still look back fondly on the series, and when the cast celebrated the show's 20th anniversary in 2018, Van Der Beek told Entertainment Weekly, "I remember loving the script. I remember thinking everyone was amazing. All the actors were perfectly cast."

Michelle Williams, who played Capeside's new kid Jen Lindley, also reflected on what the series meant to fans when it aired. As she put it, "When something affects you while you were growing up, it kind of stays in there forever. When you’re so permeable and open and trying to figure out who you are and what’s going on, whatever reaches you in those moments really becomes part of you."

Related: Joshua Jackson Breaks Down Classic Dawson's Creek Clip

It's likely that a lot of fans would agree, which is why we are looking back on the show now. Here's what the cast of Dawson's Creek have been up to since the series ended in 2003.

See the Dawson's Creek cast then and now

James Van Der Beek (March 8, 1977-)

As the title character, Van Der Beek was the beating heart of Dawson's Creek. Since the show's end in 2003, he's enjoyed roles on TV shows including Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23, Ugly Betty, How I Met Your Mother and CSI: Cyber. He also co-created the Viceland series What Would Diplo Do?

Van Der Beek's life off-camera is exceptional. He and wife, Kimberly, met in 2010 and have gone on to welcome six children. They live in Austin, Texas.

Joshua Jackson (June 11, 1978-)

Jackson played Dawson's best friend Pacey on the show. Since the end of the series, he picked up roles in Fringe, The Affair and Little Fires Everywhere. He most recently joined the cast of the series Fatal Attraction, based on the film of the same name.

Jackson married his wife, Jodie Turner-Smith, in 2019 and the pair welcomed their first child together in April 2020.

Related: See the Cast of Fatal Attraction Then and Now

Katie Holmes (Dec. 18, 1978-)

Holmes starred as Joey Potter, Dawson's across-the-creek neighbor and the subject of the show's "will they/won't they" plot. She also continued to act regularly following the end of the series, in movies like Pieces of 8, Batman Begins and Ocean's 8.

Holmes made major headlines when she married Tom Cruise in 2006 and had their daughter, Suri. Holmes and Cruise divorced in 2012.

Related: All About Tom Cruise's Three Wives and Many Famous Girlfriends

Michelle Williams (Sept. 9, 1980-)

Williams played Dawson's next-door neighbor and sometimes love interest Jen on the show, and was a major force in cinema following the end of Dawson's Creek. She took on a number of impactful roles in movies including Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine and The Greatest Showman.

Williams and ex-boyfriend Heath Ledger welcomed their daughter, Matilda, in 2005. The Oscar-nominated actress went on to marry Phil Elveruum in 2018, but they divorced less than a year later. She's now married to Thomas Kail, with whom she has two kids under the age of 3!

Kerr Smith (March 9, 1972-)

Kerr Smith helped make history on Dawson's Creek as one-half of what is considered network TV's first "passionate" kiss between two men. Following the end of the show, he starred in Final Destination 5 and appeared on a number of TV shows, including Charmed and The Fosters.

Smith married Harmoni Everett in 2003 before divorcing in 2009; he's now married to Lisa Smith. The two run TerraLife Wellness, a health-and-wellness consulting business.

Meredith Monroe (Dec. 30, 1968-)

Monroe starred as Andie McPhee, younger sister of Jack McPhee on Dawson's Creek. Since the show wrapped, she's had roles in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Edge of Seventeen, Criminal Minds and Hart of Dixie.

Monroe has been married to Steven Kavovit since 1999 and has two kids.

Busy Philipps (June 25, 1979-)

Philipps played Jen Lindley's best friend Audrey on Dawson's Creek. Since the show finished in 2003, Philipps has starred on the popular series Cougar Town, published a bestselling memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little, and hosted her own short-lived talk show in 2019. She's now starring in Girls 5Eva.

Philipps married Mark Silverstein in 2007 and the pair have two children, Birdie and Cricket. The couple announced their separation in 2021 but remain on good terms and even share a living space in New York City, where Philipps has been known to hang out with her real-life BFF Michelle Williams.

John Wesley Shipp (Jan. 22, 1955-)

Shipp played Dawson's dad, Mitch, on the series until October 2001, when his character died in a car crash. That didn't stop Shipp's career, however—you might have recently caught him in The Flash, for example.

Mary Beth Peil (June 25, 1940-)

Peil played Jen's grandmother Evelyn, who was known as "Gram" on the show, for all six seasons. The two-time Tony Award winner has starred in a number of projects since wrapping Dawson's, including The Good Wife.

Williams thanked Peil at the 2022 Gotham Awards. "Mary Beth Peil was the first artist that I had ever met in my life," she said while accepting a performer tribute. "She didn't call herself that, but there was something different about her. It was the way she asked questions, the way that she leaned into conversations, and how excited she seemed for every moment of every day on our TV set. And I didn't know what this ineffable quality was, but I knew I wanted to pull my chair closer to hers."

Mary-Margaret Humes (April 4, 1954-)

Humes played Dawson's mom, Gail Leery, on the series for all six seasons. She has acted in Grey's Anatomy and CSI since the show's conclusion.

Humes has been married to her husband, Raul Bruce, since 1992. She and Van Der Beek still appear to be close. "Every year since my mother died, [Humes] makes me cookies and sends them to me on my birthday," Van Der Beek shared on Instagram. "I have the best TV momma on the planet."

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