'Dawson's Creek' Star James Van Der Beek Dead At 48
Image Source: CNN
Today, elder and younger millennials alike mourn the passing of James Van Der Beek, best known for portraying Dawson Leary on The WB teen drama, Dawson's Creek.
Van Der Beek died the morning of February 11th at age 48. No cause of death was given, but the actor had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since late 2023, though he only announced the diagnosis in late 2024.
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His wife, Kimberly, released a statement on Instagram following his passing:
James Van Der Beek was born on March 8th, 1977. He was introduced to the World of acting in middle school, where he played Reuben in his school's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. When he was 15, he asked his mother to take him to New York City so he could find an agent and pursue acting professionally, making his professional debut as in the play Finding the Sun, where he played Fergus. Van Der Beek would make his television debut as Paulie in the 1993 Nickelodeon show, Clarissa Explains it All.
Image Source: Stream On Demand
However, it would be a little show based in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, that truly put Van Der Beek on the map. In 1998, the world would be introduced to the actor through his portrayal of Dawson Leary in The WB's Dawson Creek. The show was an immense success for the fledgling network and helped define the teen drama genre. It made Van Der Beek a household name alongside co-stars Katie Holmes (Joey Potter), Michelle Williams (Jen Lindley), and Joshua Jackson (Pacey Witter). The show also spawned a meme featuring Dawson crying after Joey dumps him, which Van Der Beek acknowledged by recreating it in a Funny or Die skit and for a gif that was available on the now defunct JamesVanderMemes website. Dawson's Creek ran on The WB from January 20th, 1998, to May 14th, 2003. It was also the last thing aired on The WB as part of its The Night of Favorites and Farewells, having its credits be the last thing broadcast on the network before it became The CW.
James Van Der Beek was so much more than just Dawson. He appeared as a fictionalized version in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. Van Der Beek also appeared in four episodes of The WB/CW drama, One Tree Hill, as Adam Reese, a filmmaker who was the satirical opposite of Dawson. He also appeared as a fictionalized version of himself again in the ABC show, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. Besides himself or versions of Dawson, Van Der Beek played Jonathon “Mox” Moxson in Varsity Blues, Elijah Mundo in CSI: Cyber, Sean Bateman in The Rules of Attraction, and the English voice of Pazu in Hayao Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky. He is set to posthumously appear in the Legally Blonde Prequel series, Elle, and the film The Gates
James spent the last two years of his life struggling with his illness. Last November, he auctioned off several items to help pay for his cancer treatment. On September 22 of last year, the cast of Dawson's Creek came together for a special reading of the pilot's script at the Richard Rodgers Theater. Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in for Van Der Beek, who was too ill to attend. He did appear through a video message, expressing regret that he was unable to attend. Proceeds raised by the performance went to F Cancer and Van Der Beek's medical treatment. Even Steven Spielberg, Dawson's idol, made a video appearance, saying “Dawson, you made it. Maybe someday, I will get to have a Dawson’s closet.”
Several of his castmates paid tribute to the actor, including Katie Holmes, who shared a handwritten tribute on Instagram:
Mary Margaret Humes, who played Dawson's mother, also shared a tribute on Instagram:
He was visited by several friends during his final days, including retired wrestler Stacy Keibler, saying this in her tribute to the actor:
“When you know time is sacred, you don’t waste a single breath. You don’t rush. You don’t scroll. You don’t worry about tomorrow. You sit. You listen. You hold hands.”
James Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children. A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with expenses during this time, and it has already raised nearly $2 million. Rest in peace, James Van Der Beek.
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