Original: James William Van Der Beek, Jr. (born March 8, 1977) is an American television, film, and stage actor, known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in The WB series Dawson's Creek.
Simplified: James William Van Der Beek, Jr. (born March 8, 1977) is an American television and movie actor. He is best known for his role as Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek alongside Katie Holmes.