Selma Blair Lost a Role on Dawson's Creek to Katie Holmes' Last-minute Audition
Here's how Katie Holmes secured her Hollywood breakthrough.
The WB's iconic teen drama series remains cherished by fans, even two decades after its conclusion, thanks largely to its stellar cast, which includes Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson.
Revisiting Dawson's Creek is a nostalgic pleasure; its portrayal of American suburbia remains as engaging as ever. However, the show's cast, and probably its entire vibe, might have been entirely different had series creator Kevin Williamson not opted to view an audition tape at the last minute.
According to Williamson himself, he was set on casting the then-renowned Selma Blair as Joey Potter and was on the verge of finalising her contract. That is until he decided to review an audition tape from an unknown aspiring teenager recorded in a basement. On witnessing a young girl, earnestly attempting to embody the character he had crafted and totally beating all her competitors, Williamson promptly cast 17-year-old Katie Holmes in the role of Joey.
‘And when that video showed up, it changed my whole life. I was still a teenager, and it was nice to read a script that felt like it expressed things that I was still trying to understand for myself. The experience was very overwhelming because I was brand new. It was my second job, and I didn’t even know really, like, where to look,’ Holmes said.
Indeed, Williamson's choice was spot on. Holmes brought a certain charisma to Dawson's Creek, making the show feel authentically teen-centric rather than a mere ploy to captivate a young audience.
‘I think she was perfect for the role of Joey in Dawson's Creek. I can't imagine anyone else playing her part. I can't imagine Dawson's Creek being what it was if it weren't for the cast selection,’ a fan summed up.
No doubt, Holmes must be delighted that she sent in that audition tape, as it propelled her to superstardom, despite her humble origins in a small Ohio town. It's indeed heartening when Hollywood producers are willing to gamble on emerging talent and when such talent, like Holmes, commits wholeheartedly to a project.
Source: Entertainment Weekly, Reddit.