‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star James Van Der Beek Dies at 48 After Battle With Colorectal Cancer

Actor James Van Der Beek, best known for his breakout role on Dawson’s Creek, has died at the age of 48 following a years-long battle with colorectal cancer.

His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, confirmed the news in a statement shared Wednesday morning.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” she said. “He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

A Career Defined by Teen Drama Stardom

Born on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek rose to fame as aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003. The WB teen drama became a defining show of the late ’90s and helped launch a new era of character-driven youth series.

He cemented his heartthrob status with the 1999 football drama Varsity Blues, earning an MTV Movie Award and a permanent place in pop culture.

Over the years, Van Der Beek continued working steadily in television, with roles in CSI: Cyber, Friends with Better Lives, and Pose. He also memorably played a fictionalized version of himself in Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, showcasing his comedic range.

More recently, he appeared in Prime Video’s Overcompensating in 2025 and had been set to portray Dean Wilson in the upcoming Elle.

His Private Cancer Battle

Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer in August 2023 but kept his health struggle largely private until November 2024.

“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he previously shared. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”

In interviews, he described acting as a temporary escape from illness. “The greatest thing about work is cancer doesn’t exist between action and cut,” he said during an appearance on NBC’s Today.

A Final Reunion With His ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Family

Last September, Van Der Beek made a surprise virtual appearance at a Dawson’s Creek reunion organized by co-star Michelle Williams. The event benefited the cancer-support organization F*** Cancer.

Although illness prevented him from attending in person, a prerecorded message played at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York received a standing ovation from fans and former castmates.

“I cannot believe I don’t get to hug my castmates in person,” he said in the heartfelt clip. “The best fans in the world.”

Family and Final Reflections

In his final Instagram posts, Van Der Beek shared emotional tributes to his eldest daughter and his father, writing about gratitude and the sacredness of time.

He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, whom he married in 2010, and their six children: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.

As tributes pour in, fans are remembering not only the actor who defined a generation’s coming-of-age television, but also a devoted father and husband who faced his illness with remarkable strength.

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