Kevin Williamson Lovingly Roasts James Van Der Beek in an Emotional ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Tribute

Few teen dramas left a mark quite like ‘Dawson’s Creek’. Created by Kevin Williamson and inspired by his own experiences as a teenager, the series premiered on The WB on January 20, 1998, and followed aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery and his friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts.

At the center of it all was James Van Der Beek, who played Dawson across 122 episodes. His death in February at the age of 48 hit the show’s creative family hard, and on Saturday night, several of them came together to honor him.

Williamson received the Barbara Berlanti Hero Award at Greg Berlanti’s Heroes Gala, an annual F Cancer benefit held at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica on October 3. During his speech, he looked back on his bond with Van Der Beek, joking that the star started out as a brat and describing their relationship as Dawson talking to Dawson

Williamson explained that he was essentially searching for himself when casting the lead role. “I was looking for the good-looking, handsome, camera-ready, great jawline version of myself, someone people would actually want to see,” he said, as Variety reported from the gala.

“He became that person. James Van Der Beek gave voice to my childhood. He was the soul of the show. He was the ultimate upgrade,” Williamson continued, paying tribute to the actor who brought his teenage self to life. He also reflected on watching Van Der Beek grow up over the years. “I saw him go from a young kid to an extraordinary man, a husband, a father and a friend,” Williamson said.

That’s when the creator lightened the mood. “James had a full character arc. He started out as a brat,” Williamson joked, recalling how Van Der Beek would call him after receiving scripts to complain about having to say words nobody understood.

Kevin Williamson remembered his late mom last night as well as James Van Der Beek, why he cast him in "Dawson’s Creek," what their relationship was like and more. MORE: https://t.co/HcNUJer4Eg @varety #justforvariety https://t.co/NZq63MCVbN

— Marc Malkin (@marcmalkin) October 4, 2026

Williamson’s response was equally playful. He remembered telling the actor not to worry, because given the way he mumbled, nobody would hear it anyway, summing up their dynamic as 2 versions of Dawson talking to each other.

The heartfelt humor clearly resonated. Williamson admitted that Van Der Beek’s death really knocked him over, while praising how the actor handled his cancer with grace and courage.

The evening doubled as an emotional reunion for the show’s creative family. Williamson was presented with the award by ‘Dawson’s Creek’ star Joshua Jackson and writer-producer Julie Plec, both of whom choked up while speaking about Van Der Beek.

"Dawson’s Creek" creator Kevin Williamson jokes that the late James Van Der Beek "started out as a brat" on the beloved show: “I saw him go from a young kid to an extraordinary man, a husband, a father and a friend. James had a full character arc. He started out as a brat. He would get a script and he would call me, and he would be like, ‘Why do I have to say this word? Nobody knows what this word means.’ And I would say, ‘Well, don’t worry about it, the way you mumble nobody is going to hear it anyway.’ That was that was our relationship — Dawson talking to Dawson.” https://t.co/QeoVM77n61

— Variety (@Variety) October 4, 2026

Berlanti himself has deep ties to the series. He took over as showrunner for seasons 3 and 4 after Williamson ran the first 2, and Williamson, like Berlanti, lost his mother to lung cancer.

Williamson was specifically recognized for his role in the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ table read held to support Van Der Beek following his colon cancer diagnosis. The gala raises money for F Cancer’s early detection, prevention, and psychosocial initiatives, and also honored Katherine LaNasa.

The series also starred Katie Holmes as Joey Potter, Jackson as Pacey Witter, and Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley. Decades later, it remains a defining show for a generation of viewers.

Williamson’s speech captured what made Van Der Beek so beloved, mixing laughter with genuine affection. For fans, it was a fitting reminder that the heart of ‘Dawson’s Creek’ always came from the people who made it.

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