’90s TV Mom Sends Cookies to Son, 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?

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

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.

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

If you said Mary-Margaret Humes, you’re absolutely right!; (seen in 2022) 

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; (John Wesley Shipp, James Van Der Beek, Mary-Margaret Humes)

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

‘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,’ Van Der Beek said of Humes; (Van Der Beek shared this photo when he announced his mother, Melinda Van Der Beek, had passed away in July 2020 at the age of 70)

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.