Latest news with #JamesVanDerBeek
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
How cancer, untimely deaths, and personal battles have blighted the lives of the Dawson's Creek cast
Since Dawson's Creek aired its final episode in 2003, cast members of the beloved show have seen their lives blighted by health battles and personal tragedies. The teen drama has come back into focus since it was revealed stars of the show Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson have reunited to film a new romance project. Amid renewed interest in the series, we look back on how the cast's lives have unfolded over the past 20 years. James Van Der Beek Playing the lead cemented James as a teen heartthrob. By the time the show ended, he had also notched up the accolade of one of People's 50 most beautiful people. However, by the late noughties, his star power had fizzled, and he took on small screen roles and parts in off-Broadway productions as well as a Dancing With The Stars appearance. In recent years his personal life has seen him back in the headlines after he revealed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The actor, 47, said he had been 'privately dealing with this diagnosis and has been taking steps to resolve it with the support' of his incredible family. Following his diagnosis, Van Der Beek, who shares six children with his wife, Kimberly, has kept working whilst maintaining his family life at his Texas home, after moving away from Los Angeles in 2020. Michelle Williams Michelle, 44, played Jen Lindley, the New York City wildchild banished to Capeside to live with her grandmother. Following the show, Michelle has arguably had the most career success, earning four Oscar nods and winning two Golden Globes. One of her most acclaimed big screen roles was in the 2004 movie Brokeback Mountain, where she also met her partner Heath Ledger. The couple welcomed daughter Matilda in October 2005 before breaking up in 2007. Three months later, Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose. He was just 28. Michelle didn't comment publicly on Ledger's tragic death until 2016, instead quietly focusing on raising their daughter away from the limelight. She told Porter magazine in 2016: 'In all honesty, for pretty much everything else, I feel like I'm a believer in not fighting circumstances, accepting where you are and where you've been. In pretty much all senses but one.' She added of her sense of loss for her daughter: 'I would be able to go totally down that line of thinking were it not for Matilda not having her dad. You know, that's just something that doesn't … I mean, it just won't ever be right.' Joshua Jackson Playing Dawson's best friend and the boy who would eventually win Joey Potter's heart, Joshua was the bad boy of Capeside. After wrapping the show Josh, 47, went on to play more teen rebels in the likes of Cruel Intentions. More recently he has found renewed small screen success, playing the leads in TV series Fringe and Doctor Odyssey. But like Pacey's messy romances, his personal life has been blighted by love woes. The actor recently settled his divorce from Jodie Turner-Smith but the pair continue to be locked in a contentious legal battle over decisions about their daughter. They were married for four years before their 2023 split and share one child, daughter Juno Rose Diana Jackson, whom they welcomed together in April 2020. Meanwhile, earlier this year Joshua lost his $2million home in Topanga Canyon to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. It was at that same house where he had previously spent his early childhood before moving back to Canada at the age of eight after his parents divorced. He purchased the property over two decades ago and was living there with his four-year-old daughter. In 2021, he spoke about purchasing the property where he previously lived as a young child in a sentimental, full circle moment. Bitter split: The actor recently settled his divorce from Jodie Turner-Smith but the pair continue to be locked in a contentious legal battle He told Mr Porter in July 2021: 'My father unfortunately was not a good father or a husband and exited the scene. But that house in Topanga was where everything felt simple, so it was a very healing thing for me to do.' He also revealed that after he and his then-wife welcomed Juno, his childhood bedroom became their daughter's room. He said: 'There was a mural of a dragon on the wall in that room that I couldn't believe was still there, years later. 'The [previous] owner said, "I knew it meant a lot to somebody and that they were going to come back for it someday".' Katie Holmes Katie, 46, was the epitome of the girl next door, playing Joey Potter on the show. Joey's troubled family life made for some spicy storylines with her father in prison for drug trafficking before she was memorably robbed at gunpoint. Offscreen, Katie's high-profile marriage to Tom Cruise and subsequent divorce have overshadowed her career at times. It was in 2012, that Tom and Katie revealed they were divorcing after five years of marriage. For years the pair were deemed one of Hollywood's biggest couples, with Tom famously declaring his love for Kate while jumping on a sofa during an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The couple married in 2006 in a Scientologist ceremony in Italy, just months after welcoming their daughter Suri, but things slowly crumbled, with sources claiming Katie felt intimidated by the Church and its influence. In June 2012, it was reported that Katie decided to file for divorce in New York because it could potentially give her a better chance of gaining sole custody of Suri. With sole custody of Suri, Katie would be able to remove her daughter from the Church Of Scientology, which she was alleged to dislike and distrust, despite her husband's enthusiasm for it. On July 9, 2012, Katie's lawyer confirmed her divorce from Tom had been settled, with the actress having been granted sole custody of Suri, who was six at the time. The former couple reached an agreement out of court, meaning the actor's beloved Scientology was no longer at risk of scrutiny with the religion's secrets being dissected during a trial. In 2017, she said that pivoting her career towards directing rather than acting was a deliberate move to be more present for Suri. She previously described Suri growing up as 'heartbreaking', saying: 'You have to do everything you can to give them what they need - and then they're going to go. And that's going to be very, very sad for me.' With Suri now enjoying life at college, Katie has a renewed focus on her work. Following her split from Tom , the star received $14million - as well as a $38,000-a-year child support agreement. Over the past 12 years, the star has received $400,000 for raising Suri alone - but is reportedly no longer entitled to child support now that their daughter is at college and a legal adult. Happy Hours is her latest endeavor and sees Katie team up with Dawson's pal Joshua to portray former lovers who cross paths years later and rekindle their romance while navigating the challenges of careers and family responsibilities. Obi Ndefo Obi Ndefo played Katie 's character's brother-in-law Bodie Wells on Dawson's Creek. The actor died in November 2024 at the age of 51, five years after losing both his legs in a horrific crash. Ndefo, who is a graduate of Yale, appeared in Dawson's Creek between 1998 and 2002. He was seriously injured in an August 2019 hit-and-run crash. Surgeons were forced to amputate his legs - one was left completely shattered and the other partially severed. He was loading a cooler in his trunk outside of an Erewhon Market on Beverly Boulevard when a drunk driver veered out of lane and struck him, according to the Los Angeles Times. Ndefo's friends and family set up a GoFundMe account in the aftermath of the incident - and raised more than $290,000. The page stated that the money would go towards 'new prosthetic legs, surgery and hospital costs not covered by insurance, and making Ndefo's home wheelchair accessible'. Mary-Margaret Humes, who played Dawson's mom Gale Leery on the show, dedicated an Instagram post to Ndefo at the time of his death. She said: 'These words don't come easy. It's hard for me to conceive that you have left us, my dear friend. 'You always were and always will be a bright shining light. What an example of pure unfiltered love and tenacity you set as you faced life's challenges of recent. 'I will cherish all of our messages of love and support to each other over the past few years. Rest in peace sweet warrior.' Heidi Ferrer Dawson's Creek writer Heidi Ferrer, 50, took her own life in 2021 at her home in Los Angeles following a 13-month battle with covid. She had been bedridden and riddled with excruciating pain since she contracted the virus in April 2020. Her husband, director Nick Guthe, told CNN that it took months for doctors to diagnose her ailments and get a referral for a long-haul covid clinic, which arrived a day before she died. He said: 'She had indicated that if things got really bad she didn't know how she could continue, she didn't know how she could keep going, and I just kept saying, you know, "Just hang on, you know, just hang on, medical science is moving at the quickest rate it ever has".' Devastating: Heidi Ferrer, 50, took her life in 2021 following a 13-month battle with covid (pictured in 2006 with husband Nick Guthe) He added: 'But I think she just felt that she was only going to diminish, she was going to lose the ability to walk, end up in a wheelchair, not be able to bathe herself.' The mother-of-one suffered body aches, including severe pain in her feet and ankles, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms when she tested positive for covid in April 2020. Her symptoms worsened, and by June she was bedridden. Over the following months, Ferrer's fatigue and foot pain remained but she also became crippled with neurological tremors. Ferrer was a career scriptwriter who penned several episodes of the hit 90s shows Dawson's Creek and Wasteland, as well as several films.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The curse of Dawson's Creek: As Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson reunite on screen, how cancer, untimely deaths and personal battles have blighted the lives of the cast in the past 20 years
Peak Sunday morning viewing for angst-ridden adolescents of the noughties, Dawson's Creek changed the face of teen TV. The opening scene of Katie Holmes' Joey Potter informing her childhood best friend Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) that they can't continue their childhood sleepovers because of their 'emerging hormones' and 'sexual theoretics' set the tone. Dawson, Joey, Pacey (Joshua Jackson) and Jen (Michelle Williams) filled six seasons with Kevin Williamson's long-winded dialogue, mature themes and a lot of tears - the Dawson crying meme has a lifelong spot in the pop culture hall of fame. Over 128 episodes, which debuted in 1998, fans watched the foursome's Capeside escapades with the Dawson, Joey and Pacey love triangle becoming the core theme and fans divided into Team Dawson or Team Pacey. The flash forward finale which aired in 2003 finally resolved the romance web as well as shocking fans with the death of Michelle Williams' character Jen. Off screen the lives of the cast have seen just as much drama. Whilst the show shot many of them to international stardom, their personal lives have been blighted by health battles, high profile divorces and tragedy. As Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson reunite to film a new romance project together, we look back on how the cast's lives have unfolded over the past 20 years. James Van Der Beek Playing the lead cemented James as a teen heartthrob, helped by his juggling of blockbuster roles in the likes of Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction during his years playing Dawson. By the time the show ended James had also notched up the accolade of one of People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people. By the late noughties though his star power had fizzled, and he took on small screen roles and parts in off-Broadway productions as well as a Dancing With The Stars appearance. In recent years his personal life has seen him back in the headlines after he revealed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. In recent years his personal life has seen him back in the headlines after he revealed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer The actor, 47, said he had been 'privately dealing with this diagnosis and has been taking steps to resolve it with the support' of his incredible family. Following his diagnosis, Van Der Beek, who shares six children with his wife, Kimberly, has kept working whilst maintaining his family life at his Texas home, after moving away from Los Angeles in 2020. Michelle Williams Michelle, 44, played Jen Lindley, the NYC wildchild banished to Capeside to live with her grandmother. Post-Dawson's Michelle has arguably had the most career success, earning four Oscar nods and winning two Golden Globes. One of her most acclaimed big screen roles was in the 2004 movie Brokeback Mountain, where she also met her partner Heath Ledger. The couple welcomed daughter Matilda in October 2005 before breaking up in 2007. Three months later, Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose. He was just 28. Michelle didn't comment publicly on Ledger's tragic death until 2016, instead quietly focusing on raising their daughter away from the limelight. 'In all honesty, for pretty much everything else, I feel like I'm a believer in not fighting circumstances, accepting where you are and where you've been. In pretty much all senses but one,' she told Porter magazine in 2016. She added of her sense of loss for her daughter: 'I would be able to go totally down that line of thinking were it not for Matilda not having her dad. You know, that's just something that doesn't … I mean, it just won't ever be right.' Joshua Jackson Playing Dawson's best friend and the boy who would eventually win Joey Potter's heart, Joshua was the bad boy of Capeside. After wrapping the show Josh, 47, went on to play more teen rebels in the likes of Cruel Intentions. More recently he has found renewed small screen success, playing the leads in TV series Fringe and Doctor Odyssey. But like Pacey's messy romances, his personal life has been blighted by love woes. The actor recently settled his divorce from Jodie Turner-Smith but the pair continue to be locked in a contentious legal battle over decisions about their daughter. The actors were previously married for four years before their 2023 split and share one child, daughter Juno Rose Diana Jackson, whom they welcomed together in April 2020. Meanwhile, earlier this year Joshua lost his $2M home in Topanga Canyon to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. It was at that same house where the Doctor Odyssey star had previously spent his early childhood before moving back to Canada at the age of eight after his parents divorced. He purchased the property over two decades ago and was living there with his four-year-old daughter. Back in 2021, he spoke about purchasing the property where he previously lived as a young child in a sentimental, full circle moment. 'My father unfortunately was not a good father or a husband and exited the scene,' he told Mr Porter in July 2021. 'But that house in Topanga was where everything felt simple, so it was a very healing thing for me to do.' He also revealed that after he and his then-wife welcomed Juno, his childhood bedroom became their daughter's room. 'There was a mural of a dragon on the wall in that room that I couldn't believe was still there, years later,' he said. 'The [previous] owner said, "I knew it meant a lot to somebody and that they were going to come back for it someday,' he added. Katie Holmes Katie, 46, was the epitome of girl next door, playing Joey Potter on the show. Joey's troubled family life made for some spicy storylines with her father in prison for drug trafficking before she was memorably robbed at gunpoint. Offscreen, Katie's high profile marriage to Tom Cruise and subsequent divorce have overshadowed her career post-Dawson's. It was in 2012, that Tom and Katie revealed they were divorcing after five years of marriage - marking one of the most high profile splits showbiz has ever seen. For years the pair were deemed one of Hollywood's biggest couples, with Tom infamously declaring his love for Kate while jumping on a sofa during an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show. The couple, married in 2006 in a Scientologist ceremony in Italy, just months after welcoming their daughter Suri, but things slowly crumbled, with sources claiming Katie felt intimidated by the Church and its influence. In June 2012, it was reported that Katie decided to file for divorce in New York because it could potentially give her a better chance of gaining sole custody of Suri. With sole custody of Suri, Holmes would be able to remove her daughter from the Church of Scientology, which she was alleged to dislike and distrust, despite her husband's enthusiasm for it. On July 9 2012, Katie's lawyer confirmed her divorce with Tom had been settled, with Katie having been granted sole custody of Suri, who was six at the time. The former couple reached an agreement out of court, meaning the actor's beloved Scientology was no longer at risk of scrutiny with the religion's secrets being dissected during a trial. In 2017, she said that pivoting her career towards directing rather than acting was a deliberate move to be more present for Suri. She previously described Suri growing up as 'heartbreaking', saying: 'You have to do everything you can to give them what they need—and then they're going to go. And that's going to be very, very sad for me.' With Suri now enjoying life at college, Katie has a renewed focus on her work. Following her split from Tom , the star received £10m - as well as a $38,000-a-year child support agreement. Over the past 12 years, the star has received $400,000 for raising Suri alone - but is reportedly no longer entitled to child support now that their daughter is at college and a legal adult. Happy Hours is her latest endeavour and sees Katie team up with Dawson's pal Joshua to portray former lovers who cross paths years later and rekindle their romance while navigating the challenges of careers and family responsibilities. Katie wrote and stars in the trio of flicks, which will also mark her fourth, fifth, and sixth directorial features. Obi Ndefo Obi Ndefo played Katie Holmes ' character's brother-in-law Bodie Wells on Dawson's Creek. The actor died in November 2024 at the age of 51, five years after losing both his legs in a horrific crash. Ndefo, who is a graduate of Yale, appeared in Dawson's Creek between 1998 and 2002. He was seriously injured in an August 2019 hit-and-run crash. Surgeons were forced to amputate his legs - one was left completely shattered and the other partially severed. He was loading a cooler in his trunk outside of an Erewhon Market on Beverly Boulevard when a drunk driver veered out of lane and struck him, according to the Los Angeles Times. Ndefo's friends and family set up a GoFundMe account in the aftermath of the incident - and raised more than $290,000. The page stated that the money would go towards 'new prosthetic legs, surgery and hospital costs not covered by insurance, and making Ndefo's home wheelchair accessible'. Mary-Margaret Humes, who played Dawson's mom Gale Leery on the show, dedicated an Instagram post to Ndefo at the time of his death. 'These words don't come easy,' she said. 'It's hard for me to conceive that you have left us, my dear friend. You always were and always will be a bright shining light. What an example of pure unfiltered love and tenacity you set as you faced life's challenges of recent. 'I will cherish all of our messages of love and support to each other over the past few years. Rest in peace sweet warrior.' Heidi Ferrer Dawson's Creek writer Heidi Ferrer, 50, took her own life in 2021 at her home in Los Angeles following a 13 month battle with COVID-19. She had been bedridden and riddled with excruciating pain since she contracted the virus in April 2020. Her husband, director Nick Guthe, told CNN that it took months for doctors to diagnose her ailments and get a referral for a long-haul Covid clinic, which arrived a day before she died. 'She had indicated that if things got really bad she didn't know how she could continue, she didn't know how she could keep going, and I just kept saying, you know, "Just hang on, you know, just hang on, medical science is moving at the quickest rate it ever has,"' Guthe said. 'But I think she just felt that she was only going to diminish, she was going to lose the ability to walk, end up in a wheelchair, not be able to bathe herself.' The mother-of-one suffered body aches, including severe pains in her feet and ankles, fatigue and flu-like symptoms when she tested positive for COVID in April 2020. Her symptoms worsened, and by June she was bedridden. Over the following months, Ferrer's fatigue and foot pain remained but she also became crippled with neurological tremors.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beloved TV Mom, 71, Unrecognizable 22 Years After 'Dawson's Creek'
Beloved TV Mom, 71, Unrecognizable 22 Years After 'Dawson's Creek' originally appeared on Parade. portrayed Dawson Leery's mom, Gail, in Dawson's Creek—and the actress looks so different from her character today. Recently, the actress, 71, was spotted while out and about in Los Angeles during a visit to a hair salon in Beverly Hills. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 In photos obtained by the Daily Mail, 's onscreen mother rocked a striped button-down blouse and jeans with tan sandals. She accessorized with bracelets, sunglasses and a brown cross-body purse during the addition to Dawson's Creek, Humes is known for History of the World: Part 1 (1982) and Motocrossed (2001). She also notably appeared in Blossom, Grey's Anatomy, CSI,Criminal Minds and a number of Hallmark Channel TV movies. Humes spoke about the possibility of a Dawson's Creek reboot during ATX TV's Mother Knows Best: A Look at '90s TV Moms panel in 2021. "There has been a secret text message going around among all the actors," she shared. " and I have talked about it extensively. James Van Der Beek and I have talked about it." She added, "I actually wrote like, 190 pages of an idea for a crossover to a reboot," she says. "Whether it goes anywhere, I don't know. But there's certainly a lot of buzz about it." Next: Beloved TV Mom, 71, Unrecognizable 22 Years After 'Dawson's Creek' first appeared on Parade on Jul 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 19, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Dawson's Creek' Star Mary-Margaret Humes Spotted in Rare Public Outing in L.A.
NEED TO KNOW Dawson's Creek star Mary-Margaret Humes was spotted in a rare public outing in Los Angeles on July 11 The 71-year-old actress was dressed casually as she visited a hair salon in Beverly Hills Humes played Gail Leery, mom of titular character Dawson Leery, in the teen series, which aired from 1998 to 2003Mary-Margaret Humes was spotted making a rare public outing in Los Angeles last week. The Dawson's Creek actress was photographed visiting a Beverly Hills hair salon on July 11. She was dressed casually in a pair of slim-fitting, light-wash jeans, a striped linen button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled, and sandals. The 71-year-old had a brown handbag slung over her shoulder and sported a pair of black aviator-style sunglasses. She also accessorized with a floral-print belt and a beaded bracelet. Humes famously portrayed Gail Leery, the mother of titular character Dawson Leery (played by James Van Der Beek), in the hit teen drama, which aired for six seasons from 1998 to 2003. The series — which followed a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts — also starred Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams. The cast of the beloved show has kept in touch over the years. Last month, Humes and Williams, 44, reunited at an event for the latter's Hulu series Dying for Sex. Humes shared a series of photos on Instagram on June 8 showing the pair catching up and sharing an emotional hug. 'Our first hug in over 22 years … embracing the joy of life with beautiful Michelle Williams at last night's #DyingForSex celebration,' she wrote. 'If you haven't already seen this limited series … you should. She is brilliant in it. #memories #dawsonscreek.' Humes also shared the photos on her Instagram Stories with the caption: 'A long-awaited reunion with this radiant light.' In 2023, Van Der Beek, 48, revealed that his onscreen mom marks his birthday in a special way. "Every year since my mother died, [Humes] makes me cookies and sends them to me on my birthday," he captioned a clip on his Instagram Stories that showed his kids helping themselves to the treats. "I have the best TV momma on the planet." Van Der Beek's mother, Melinda Weber, died in July 2020 at the age of 70. Last year, on his 47th birthday on March 8, the actor confirmed that Humes' sweet tradition continued. He shared a video on Instagram, telling fans, "It's my birthday and I just got a package — a FedEx that arrived today from Mary-Margaret Humes, who played my mom on Dawson's Creek." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Of all the boys who have ever been on television, I for sure had the best TV mom,' Van Der Beek added, before giving Humes a sweet shout-out: "I love you." In the post's caption, he shared more about Humes' touching annual birthday gesture. 'It doesn't matter that I'm now older than she was when we first worked together, or that I've moved to Texas,' he wrote. 'She bakes them, and finds me, and does it from the bottom of her heart — and it always warms mine.' Since her Dawson's Creek years, Humes has starred in a number of TV movies, most recently Lifetime's A Cowboy Christmas Romance in 2023. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Iconic '90s TV mom who still sends cookies to her TV son after his real mother died looks unrecognizable in LA
Fans of one of the most beloved '90s teen dramas got a treat this week when one of its standout TV moms stepped out in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The gorgeous actress, now 71, is best known for playing Gail Leery— Dawson's mom—on Dawson's Creek, and she looked incredible while visiting a hair salon in Beverly Hills. Rocking a casual yet chic look of a striped oxford and faded blue jeans, her outfit was a far cry from the pageant gowns she once wore—back when she was crowned Miss Florida USA and finished as third runner-up at Miss USA in 1975. She kept a low profile behind dark designer shades, but her beauty was unmistakable—just like in her memorable guest spots on The Dukes of Hazzard and Grey's Anatomy. And longtime fans may already know this heartwarming fact: the stunning star still sends birthday cookies every year to her TV son James Van Der Beek, ever since his real-life mother passed away. Can you guess who she is? The gorgeous actress, now 71, is best known for playing Gail Leery— Dawson's mom—on Dawson's Creek , and she looked incredible while visiting a hair salon in Beverly Hills If you said Mary-Margaret Humes, you're absolutely right! In 2024, Van Der Beek celebrated his 47th birthday, and the married father of six spent part of his day waiting for a special package from Humes. 'It's my birthday and I just got a package from Fed Ex, it just arrived today from Mary-Margaret Humes, who played my mom on Dawson's Creek,' he shared in an Instagram post at the time, revealing she's been sending him fresh-baked cookies on his birthday in recent years. In the caption, Van Der Beek opened up about the touching tradition and the story behind Humes' yearly gesture. 'Every year since my mother passed, my TV mom has baked me cookies on my birthday. It doesn't matter that I'm now older than she was when we first worked together, or that I've moved to Texas,' he wrote. 'She bakes them, and finds me, and does it from the bottom of her heart - and it always warms mine.' Born in Watertown, New York, Mary-Margaret first grabbed national attention in 1975 when she was crowned Miss Florida USA. She made her film debut in 1981, playing Miriam the Vestal Virgin in Mel Brooks' cult comedy History of the World, Part I, and quickly found herself on Hollywood's radar. Legendary producer Aaron Spelling tapped her to star in the pilot for Velvet, an action-adventure series alongside Leah Ayres, Shari Belafonte, and Sheree J. Wilson. Throughout the '80s, Humes became a familiar face on primetime TV, landing guest roles on fan-favorite series like The Dukes of Hazzard, Knight Rider, The A-Team, The Love Boat, T.J. Hooker, and The Fall Guy. In the early '90s, she played the lead character's mom in NBC's quirky cult hit Eerie, Indiana, and appeared in multiple episodes of Matlock as different characters, along with credits in Diagnosis: Murder, Murphy Brown, and In the Heat of the Night. Of course, her most iconic role came in 1998 when she began her six-season run as Gail Leery, Dawson's strong and supportive mother on Dawson's Creek. After the show wrapped in 2003, Humes continued acting with guest roles on Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds, and CSI, and charmed audiences in a string of Hallmark movies.
