James Van Der Beek, the American actor best known for playing Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, has died at the age of 48.
The news was shared on Wednesday evening by his family on Instagram: “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.”
The family also appealed for privacy while grieving their loss. “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,” the statement added.
Van Der Beek had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in late 2023, though he did not reveal his illness publicly until November 2024.
Born in 1977 in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek was the eldest of three children. He began acting in middle school and told his mother at 15 that he wanted to audition professionally.
A father of six, Van Der Beek rose to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s, starring in Dawson’s Creek and the football drama Varsity Blues, roles that cemented his place in Hollywood’s pop culture landscape.
After his passing, his wife Kimberly shared a GoFundMe link to support the family, revealing the financial impact of his illness. She explained, “The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time.”
