Kevin Williamson transforms his father’s criminal fishing ventures into compelling family drama, premiering this month.
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The Story of Kevin Williamson
The story of Kevin Williamson’s dad is now coming to Netflix! He never thought that his father’s difficult past would become such a big TV show.
“The Waterfront” tells the story of a family of fishermen who get entangled in some illegal business.
Dad’s risky decisions
Man, in the 80s, Williamson’s dad was in big trouble. The fishing trade in America was sinking, especially on the East Coast. So they made some wrong decisions.
“They got in touch with people who offered money to carry drugs on their fishing boat,” Williamson explains.
Because of this decision, his father had to go to jail, that too when Williamson was in college. A good man who did some bad things and paid the price for it.
A mix of fantasy and reality.
Although the show stars Jake Veary, Melissa Benoist and Maria Bello, Williamson says it is “completely fictional.”
But like “Dawson’s Creek,” it also draws inspiration from real experiences.
Holt plays Harlan Buckley, the patriarch of the McElhenney family, not Kevin Costner as Williamson’s father would have liked.
“They don’t know that Holt is exactly like them,” Williamson laughs. “Perfect casting! “
Dad’s long-lasting influence
This is not the first time Papa’s life has influenced Williamson’s work.
In “Dawson’s Creek,” Joey’s father goes to prison for drug dealing, and Williamson admits, “My dad was the fisherman in’ I Know What You Did Last Summer.”
“My father has helped me a lot in my career. “
“The Waterfront” is coming to Netflix on June 19, a son’s tribute to his complicated father.