▁the ▁network ' s ▁new ▁T ues day ▁night ▁line up . ▁Pro ct er ▁& ▁Gam ble ▁Produ ctions ▁joined ▁in ▁as ▁an ▁original ▁co - produ cer ▁of ▁the ▁series , ▁however , ▁sold ▁its ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁show ▁three ▁months ▁before ▁the ▁premi ere ▁when ▁printed ▁stories ▁sur fac ed ▁about ▁the ▁ racy ▁dialog ue ▁and ▁ris qué ▁plot ▁lines . ▁ ▁Cast ing ▁ ▁Daw son ' s ▁Creek ▁would ▁become ▁responsible ▁for ▁launch ing ▁the ▁acting ▁care ers ▁of ▁its ▁young ▁lead ▁stars ▁James ▁van ▁der ▁Be ek , ▁Mich elle ▁Williams , ▁K atie ▁Hol mes , ▁and ▁Josh ua ▁Jackson , ▁who ▁had ▁varying ▁acting ▁experience ▁prior ▁to ▁being ▁cast ▁in ▁the ▁show . ▁Kn own ▁for ▁his ▁appearance ▁in ▁The ▁M ight y ▁D uck s ▁series , ▁playing ▁a ▁young ▁and ▁asp iring ▁hockey ▁player , ▁Jackson ▁was ▁initially ▁considered ▁for ▁the ▁main ▁role ▁of ▁Daw son ▁Le ery . ▁However , ▁while ▁William son ▁" f ell ▁in ▁love " ▁with ▁Jackson , ▁cit ing ▁his ▁ability ▁to ▁read ▁any ▁role ▁during ▁the ▁aud itions , ▁he ▁felt ▁that ▁Jackson ' s ▁good ▁looks ▁would ▁not ▁fit ▁the ▁under dog , ▁n erd , ▁and ▁video ▁ge ek ▁character ▁he ▁en vision ed ▁for ▁the ▁show ' s ▁tit ular ▁character . ▁After ▁The ▁W B ▁expressed ▁their ▁wish ▁to ▁look ▁for ▁a ▁different ▁actor , ▁William son ▁decided ▁on ▁casting ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Daw son ' s ▁best ▁friend