Dawson Creek Star James Van Der Beek Passes Away at 48
James Van Der Beek, who is best known for his work on Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, has passed away at the age of 48. The news was broken by his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, through a statement on social media on the morning of Wednesday, February 11th.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” Kimberly’s post reads. “He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
While the cause of death has not been publicly revealed at the time, Van Der Beek was officially diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023, publicly announcing his diagnosis the following year. At the time, he told the world that “there’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
Van Der Beek was born on March 8, 1977 in Cheshire, Connecticut. After acting in school plays as a child, he began acting onscreen in the mid-90s, before auditioning for three television pilots in 1997 and ultimately landing the role of Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek. The show premiered in 1988, airing for six seasons and becoming a bit of a cultural phenomenon.
“The little pilot we shot in that small town for that fledgling network aired, changed our lives and launched our careers,” Van Der Beek wrote on social media in 2018, when celebrating the show’s 20th anniversary.
A Decades-Spanning Career
Amid the success of Dawson’s Creek, Van Der Beek appeared in Varsity Blues, Texas Rangers, Scary Movie, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, and The Rules of Attraction.
In the turn of the century, Van Der Beek’s work included a stint on One Tree Hill, CSI: Cyber, and Pose. He famously played a fictionalized version of himself in the beloved ABC series Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.
“It was a really fun character to play because he was completely without shame,” Van Der Beek told The Hollywood Reporter in 2014. “It’s fun to mock the business, and it’s fun to keep your own ego in check, too. You feel very safe when you’re constantly destroying all those little things you keep precious as an actor. It’s a very liberating feeling.”
He also competed on Dancing With the Stars in 2019 and The Masked Singer in 2025, finishing in fifth place on the former. In the years since his initial cancer diagnosis, he was shocked by the support he received from colleagues and fans alike.
“It was amazing,” Van Der Beek told People in a 2024 interview. “I’m never the person who asked for any help — ever. It’s not in my DNA. And I thought that was a fine way to be until cancer. The way friends showed up was such a beautiful experience — and I would never have otherwise seen how much people care about me.”
Van Der Beek is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, Olivia, Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn, Joshua, and Jeremiah. Our thoughts are with Van Der Beek’s family, friends, and fans at this time.
(featured image: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
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