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Actor James Van Der Beek is perhaps best known for his starring role in the hit WB teen drama series Dawson’s Creek. When he competed on Dancing with the Stars, it’s what he was cited for. However, Van Der Beek may have seen his turn on the reality show coming because of another role.

James Van Der Beek is most famous for ‘Dawson’s Creek’

Van Der Beek rose to prominence portraying the titular character on Dawson’s Creek. Dawson Leery is a teenager living in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts. He dreams of becoming a filmmaker. The series depicts his teenage and early adult years, as well as the lives of his friends and family.

The teen drama made Van Der Beek and his co-stars into overnight celebrities. “I went from signing my first autograph to getting chased down the street,” he told James Corden in 2017. “I couldn’t go to malls. Girls getting crushed against barricades.” While still working on the series, Van Der Beek made hit films Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction.

He later starred in ‘Don’t Trust the B—— in Apartment 23’

Following Dawson’s Creek‘s finale in 2003, Van Der Beek’s work waned considerably. He had guest arcs and recurring roles on TV shows like How I Met Your Mother, One Tree Hill, and Mercy. He also appeared in a few relatively unknown films. It wasn’t until almost 10 years after Dawson’s Creek ended that he secured another central cast role.

Van Der Beek portrayed a version of himself in the ABC sitcom Don’t Trust the B—— in Apartment 23. Unlike the real Van Der Beek, this James is a single party animal who’s a bit full of himself. He’s always trying to find the next role that will take him away from his Dawson’s Creek fame and solidify his status as an A-list actor.

Van Der Beek was a contestant on ‘Dancing with the Stars’

(L-R): Tom Bergeron, James Van Der Beek, and Emma Slater on 'Dancing with the Stars' in 2019
(L-R): Tom Bergeron, James Van Der Beek, and Emma Slater on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in 2019 | Eric McCandless via Getty Images

Following Don’t Trust the B‘s cancelation after two seasons, Van Der Beek’s TV career continued to grow. He starred in a few other short-lived series, including Friends With Benefits and CSI: Cyber. He also starred in Pose Season 1. And, in 2019, Van Der Beek joined Dancing with the Stars Season 28 as a contestant.

The actor, who partnered with Emma Slater, joined a group that consisted of retired NBA player Lamar Odom, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, and Bachelor Nation’s Hannah Brown. Van Der Beek was the final contestant eliminated before the last show, coming in fifth place.

A ‘Don’t Trust the B’ storyline saw him on ‘DWTS’

It’s not odd that Van Der Beek went on Dancing with the Stars. In fact, he was among the most famous contestants during the 2019 season. But what is interesting about his selection is that it was predicted, in a way. That’s because, during Don’t Trust the B, the fictional James competed on the reality program.

The storyline goes throughout much of the season, from James agreeing to participate in the competition to his spectacular flop during the premiere. Don’t Trust the B aired in the incorrect order, but episodes “Whatever It Takes,” “The Leak,” “Shitagi Nashi,” “Bar Lies,” and “A Weekend in the Hamptons” best tell the story.

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