Joshua Jackson compared his audition process for Dawson’s Creek to a real-life version of The Hunger Games, reflecting on the intense competition he faced before landing the role of Pacey Witter. Speaking on Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Dinner’s on Me podcast, Jackson detailed the experience of auditioning for both Pacey and the title role of Dawson Leery.
“I think I had like nine auditions — I think first for Pacey, then for Dawson, then back to Pacey,” Jackson said. “And then when I made it to the final, final, final thing, they take you to the Warner Bros. ranch.”
He described arriving at the studio to find about 35 other young actors gathered for the final stages of casting. “In that room are 35 potential kids who are now, like, put into this Hunger Games moment,” Jackson said. He recalled groups being called into rooms in twos and fours, auditioning, and then returning to find that others had been quietly eliminated.
The final moment came when Jackson returned from using the restroom, only to find executives from The WB gathered around him and fellow contenders James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, and Michelle Williams.
“We’re like, ‘Oh, this is where they eat us, I guess. This is where they put us in the pot,'” Jackson said. Instead of facing elimination, the executives announced that they had been cast. “Congratulations, you just got the job!” Jackson recalled them saying. He admitted he did not immediately know which character he had been chosen to play after the long and shifting audition process.
Jackson ultimately portrayed Pacey Witter, the witty and rebellious best friend of Dawson Leery. Dawson’s Creek premiered in 1998 on The WB and ran for six seasons, concluding in 2003. The series became a defining teen drama of its era and helped launch the careers of its main cast members.
Dawson’s Creek starred Joshua Jackson alongside James Van Der Beek as Dawson, Katie Holmes as Joey Potter, and Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley.