Dawson Breaks Free

People must worry about James Van Der Beek; after years of playing the goody-goody, sickeningly responsible star of Dawson's Creek, the man is fit to burst. After being forced to repress himself year in and year out, it was only a matter of time before all that pent-up deviancy just burst out of him and, luckily, Roger Avary came along with decidedly unusual teen drama, The Rules of Attraction, and that's exactly what happened. "Oh God," he told us at last night's Empire Awards. "I've been looking to do something different for so long." You can almost see the relief in his face as Van Der Beek recalls the cathartic experience. "I could just go nuts, it was absolutely great. I've finally been unleashed to do everything that Dawson can't do!" Based on American Psycho author, Brett Easton Ellis' novel, the film sees Van Der Beek as Sean Bateman (brother to Psycho's Patrick), a debt-laden drug dealer who'll shag anything with a pulse. Certainly a far cry from Dawson's virginal virtue. "I was really lucky, because this allowed me to play the opposite of what I play in Dawson's Creek. That and it's the best script I'd ever read." The Rules of Attraction hits UK cinemas on 28 March, with the sequel, based on Easton Ellis' Glamorama, all lined up. But will Van Der Beek return for a second stab at exorcising his demons? "I'm not sure. Roger's been talking about it but... I guess we'll see."