The final episode of Dawson undoubtedly surprised many fans. Nineteen years after the end of the series, Joshua Jackson explains how he managed to convince the screenwriter that Joey should choose Pacey rather than Dawson.
Launched at the end of the 1990s, the series marked an entire generation. Dawson also allowed Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, James Van Der Beek, not to mention Michelle Williams, to launch their acting career ! Fans of the series are still marked by the final episode, in which Joey, after years of hesitation, finally decided to listen to his heart and choose Pacey, rather than Dawson. An obvious choice for the one who lends his features to Pacey and for whom he also fought. If creator Kevin Williamson expected the series to end with Joey picking Dawson, Joshua Jackson had something else in mind. “I lobbied! I was like, ‘No. No. No. It’s not going to work for me’. I had a great conversation with Kevin [Williamson] on this subject”says Jackson to the American magazine Entertainment Weekly.
Dawson : Joshua Jackson had to wait for the script to find out if he had won his case
“I said to him, ‘Look, I get it. That’s the idea you had in mind, but I’m just going to ask you to look at the story of the tape and that’s the most interesting ending for these characters.’ “, the actor still remembers. Even though Joshua Jackson pleaded for Joey and Pacey to end up together, he wasn’t sure if he convinced Williamson to go that route before he received the final script. “Kevin Williamson [qui avait alors quitté la série] only came back to write the finale”explains the actor, who adds: “So I knew as soon as we received the final script”. Joshua Jackson was not the only one to imagine such an end. In 2018, James Van Der Beek said: “It felt right to me. It felt like it made more sense”.
Dawson, a series with “universal themes”selon Joshua Jackson
If the series ended in May 2003, it still fascinates fans. It’s because “The themes she talks about are universal”, says Joshua Jackson. He explains that “even though times have changed and so has technology, humanity has not changed”. “I think when our show was at its peak, it was about the universal experiences that we all have at this point in our lives”details the actor, who lists: “You know, relationships with friends, family, falling in love, breaking up. What’s my future? Who am I? Why am I? What’s going on?… All that stuff”. If you’ve never seen the series, you can always catch up by watching all six seasons available on Netflix.
Article written in collaboration with 6Medias