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Picture it: 1999, Wilmington, North Carolina. A young Greg Berlanti is hard at work on Dawson’s Creek, a show that defined a generation of teen TV.

He wasn’t even supposed to be the showrunner—he had turned down the offer a few times, knowing the pressure that came with guiding such a cultural phenomenon.

But, in true Greg fashion, he eventually stepped up to the plate, with one condition—Jack, the show’s gay teen character, played by Kerr Smith, needed to kiss another boy on screen without a lame camera cutaway.

You know, the kind of dodge we all rolled our eyes at back in the day.

And let’s be real—if anyone could pull off the first gay male kiss in primetime, it was Greg Berlanti.

That tender moment in Dawson’s Creek Season 3 was more than just a kiss; it was a cultural shift, especially for LGBTQ+ representation on television.

It wasn’t just for us watching from the safety of our living rooms; it was for the kids who needed to see themselves on screen, for the ones wondering if they’d ever get their happy ending too.

Fast forward to today, and here we are—Greg Berlanti is still at the heart of our favorite queer love stories, most recently with Red, White & Royal Blue (RW&RB), the swoon-worthy, queer rom-com that’s been taking over our screens.

After the runaway success of RW&RB, fans are hungry for more, and Berlanti has dropped some delicious little hints about the sequel, which is already in the works.

While he’s keeping the major plot points locked up tight, he told Variety in a recent interview that the next chapter of Alex and Henry’s love story feels “natural,” leaving us all giddy with excitement for what’s to come.

For those not in the know, RW&RB is based on Casey McQuiston’s best-selling novel, where the son of the U.S. president falls in love with a British prince.

That’s right—a modern-day fairy tale that’s unapologetically queer and heart-stoppingly romantic.

Berlanti produced the film adaptation, and it’s clear that his influence is all over the movie’s charm and authenticity.

+Related: Unseen Images from Gay Fav ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’

What’s not surprising is how Berlanti continues to shine as a champion for YA television and LGBTQ+ storytelling.

After all, he’s the same guy who made us cry during Jack’s coming-out story, created Brothers & Sisters (where Kevin Walker was a gay character who found love and faced real struggles), and, let’s not forget, gave us the Arrowverse—proof that queer heroes belong in the spotlight just as much as anyone else.

Greg’s work is a love letter to our community, and we’re all here for it.

Berlanti’s passion for young adult TV runs deep. He’s helped shape shows like Riverdale, All American, and Supergirl—series that are not just TV hits but personal lifelines for so many.

As Greg puts it, YA shows are where people discover the magic of television for the first time. He understands that when people talk about their favorite show, they’re often talking about something they loved in their teens.

These stories shape us, inspire us, and, for many LGBTQ+ viewers, they are the first time we see ourselves represented.

Even with all his accomplishments, including breaking records for the most shows on air at once (18 at the peak of his production company’s empire in 2019!), Greg still insists it’s not the quantity but the people that matter most.

He’s built his career on collaboration and creating spaces for new voices—especially queer and underrepresented ones. That’s why his work resonates; it’s authentic because it’s created by people who have lived those experiences.

This past weekend, Berlanti was honored with the prestigious Governors Award at the 76th Emmys.

Even though he’s not a fan of public speaking (seriously, we’d love to grab coffee and help you through those speech jitters, Greg!), he took a moment to thank the many creatives and crew members who have helped him build his legacy.

Berlanti also said he grew up without queer representation on TV: “I wanted to be a part of television even before I knew that was possible. There wasn’t a lot of gay characters on television back then, and I was a closeted gay kid, and it’s hard to describe how lonely that was at the time.”

“There was no Internet to connect with other queer kids, no LGBTQ+ advocacy groups in schools. Back then, the only way to tell if another kid might be gay was if he also watched Dynasty, Dallas and could name all four of the Golden Girls.”

His Emmy win isn’t just a career milestone for him, but for every LGBTQ+ storyteller whose stories are finally being told.

And now, with the Red, White & Royal Blue sequel on the horizon, Greg Berlanti’s magic touch is set to give us more of the romantic, funny, and deeply heartfelt moments that have become his signature.

In a world where so much of queer love has been historically sidelined or glossed over, Berlanti’s storytelling feels like a long-overdue invitation for us all to take center stage.

The future is bright, and as we watch Alex and Henry’s story unfold even further, we know Greg will continue to give us the feels. Here’s to Berlanti—still the king of YA TV, and still making us fall in love with love, one kiss at a time.

+Related: Taylor Zakhar Perez Teases “Red, White & Royal Blue” Trilogy