James Van Der Beek 'Commits' To Being Badass Dawson On 'The B---- In Apt 23'

ABC show's leading ladies talk to MTV News about how the actor hilariously sends up his 'Dawson's Creek' alter ego.
By Jocelyn Vena

Krysten Ritter
Photo: MTV News

NEW YORK — On Wednesday night (April 11), ABC welcomes the buzzy, dark comedy "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt 23" to their primetime schedule. MTV News hit the show's red-carpet premiere on Tuesday and got the scoop from two of the show's leading ladies: Dreama Walker, who plays sweet June, and Krysten Ritter, who plays bad girl Chloe.

The actresses opened up about working with co-star James Van Der Beek, explaining what it's like to watch him mock his nice-guy "Dawson's Creek" image. They also joked about what it's like to make a sex tape with him ... for the show, of course.

"[Van Der Beek plays a] self-centered, narcissistic version of himself," Walker explained. "He's so down-to-earth and very sweet and has a great sense of humor; very smart, well-spoken, just a cool dude, too polite," she added of the real-life Van Der Beek.

"Apt 23" follows two women, con artist Chloe and girl-next-door June, who become roommates after June finds herself suffering several misfortunes in the Big Apple. The rooomies' relationship takes some hilarious turns as (the somewhat psychotic) Chloe makes every attempt to break June's optimistic spirit. Of course, it also stars TV's Dawson Leery, now all grown-up and playing an exaggerated version of himself á la Neil Patrick Harris in the "Harold & Kumar" flicks.

While the show will probably leave viewers cracking up at the mean-spirited antics of June and Chloe, it's Van Der Beek's portrayal of a self-centered, egotistical version of the Beek that's likely to have fans buzzing (His character's wacky shenanigans include some flannel-wearing bed-hopping.)

This is hardly the first time Van Der Beek has played with his image, though. In 2011, he teamed up with Funny or Die for a weeklong series of videos that poked fun at his work on "Dawson's Creek." During our chat, Walker shared her favorite one-liner from the rather evil onscreen Van Der Beek.

"I love the line where he says, 'I'm gonna play a role that I was born to play and that was me.' And Krysten goes, 'Aren't you getting a little old for that?' " Walker said before adding that it was a relief that the actor didn't mind poking fun at himself. "You kind of can't be [self-conscious]. You just have to really commit to it, and that's exactly what he did."

And about that sex tape, which comes up later in the season. Ritter, who plays the much-discussed "B---" on the show, dished a little bit about it and her character's onscreen relationship with James Van Der Beek.

"He's playing a narcissistic version of himself," she emphasized. "It's really fun, he's a good sport. ... It informs my character, [Chloe], so much, like, 'Who is this girl that can only go places with a celebrity, who only will go out in public if she has James Van Der Beek on her arm? I think it's a really exciting ingredient to an already special show.

"We may or may not have a sex tape," she added.

The freshman sitcom airs Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET in the spot once occupied by another quirky ABC sitcom, "Happy Endings," which wrapped up its second season last week.

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