Josephine Lynn Potter (born 1983) is a fictional character in the WB television drama Dawson's Creek, played by Katie Holmes. Joey is the only principal character to appear in all episodes of the series, which ran from 1998 to 2003. Joey, created by Kevin Williamson based on a childhood friend, is a tomboyish teenager growing up in the fictional town of Capeside in Massachusetts. The series chronicles her journey from adolescence into adulthood, focusing in particular on her complex and evolving relationship with childhood friend Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek).