James Van Der Beek plays the lead character Dawson Leery for whom the show is named after. He lives with his parents (Gale and Mitch) who are trying to repair their marriage. He is an aspiring film director, modeling himself after Steven Speilberg. Dawson views and takes note of the movies he gets from work (Screen Play Video. Also the workplace of Pacey Witter). His troubles are often looked upon as another conflict for a script, he calls his life. He is often referred to as being blind to the world around him, or living in his Peter Pan life, not noticing the feelings of others towards him.

Van Der Beek grew up in the hometown of Cheshire, Conn., with his father Jim (a phone company employee) mother Melinda (a Broadway dancer turned gym teacher) brother Jared, and sister Juliana. In the eighth grade, VDB was trying to catch a football and suffered a concussion. Not being able to play, he turned to plays, where he landed the leading role of Danny Zuko in the musical Grease (yes ladies, all that thick blonde hair was made jet black). VDB continued with his acting throughout his years of school. At age 16, he appeared in the film Angus, where he played a high school jock. This role didn't put him in the spotlight the way he hoped it would. Instead, he moved on to DREW University. While attending, he got a call to attend a casting in LA. When Kevin Williamson saw him, he knew he had his Dawson, as the character is modeled after himself. Van Der Beek is the oldest of the group.