Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek dies at 48 | television

James Van Der Beek, the actor best known for playing the lead role in the 1990s teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He spent his final days with courage, faith and grace,” a statement shared on Van Der Beek’s official Instagram page on Wednesday read.

“There is so much to share regarding his wishes, his love for humanity and the sanctity of time. Those days will come. And now we ask for peaceful privacy as we mourn our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”

In November 2024, Van Der Beek revealed that he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer while preparing to appear on a US charity television special, The Real Full Monty. Based on the classic British film The Full Monty, the show saw a group of celebrities strip down to raise awareness of cancer. In November 2025, Van Der Beek revealed plans to auction memorabilia and “treasures” he kept from working on his television shows and films to fund his cancer treatment.

Born in Connecticut in 1977, Van Der Beek initially preferred sports to the arts, until a childhood football accident left him with a severe concussion. Doctors advised him not to exercise for a year, and soon after he turned his attention to acting and was cast in the lead role, Danny Zuko, in a school production of Grease.

Van Der Beek rose to fame in 1998 as Dawson Leery, a teenage movie buff who was as obsessed with Steven Spielberg as he was with his lifelong neighbor, Joey Potter (played by Katie Holmes). Later that year, he was named one of the most beautiful people in the world in People magazine. On the show’s 25th anniversary, Van Der Beek wrote: “Twenty-five years ago, my life changed. Not gradually, not day by day…instantly. It was the culmination of five years of auditioning, hundreds of hours on stage, thousands of hours of travelling, preparing, dreaming, hoping, hearing ‘no’ and making up reasons to keep going. But the transformation happened overnight.”

The intense pressures the celebrity is under have proven difficult to overcome given his youth. After Dawson’s Creek became a smash hit, he said in an interview: “Touring at that time was very difficult because one autograph could turn into a mob scene. So I was touring in fear of teenage girls.”

For years after the show ended, Van Der Beek was plagued by people asking if there were plans to do a Dawson’s Creek reunion show or movie. In 2017, he said: “I felt completely relieved to put that book on the shelf and never look at it again.” But shortly after announcing his cancer diagnosis, he began a charity reunion with Van Der Beek and former co-stars Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson. However, health issues meant Van Der Beek was unavailable that day – so Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in to take over the role of Dawson.

Van Der Beek also appeared in films including the American teen football film Varsity Blues, in which he starred opposite Paul Walker, and in an adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s Rules of Attraction, in which he played drug dealer Sean Bateman – younger brother of American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman – caught up in a love triangle. He increasingly played tongue-in-cheek roles: he attempted to climb into a bedroom window in the 2000 horror parody Scary Movie as the Dawson’s Creek tune I Don’t Want to Wait, before declaring “wrong set.” He was later cast as a meta version of himself in Don’t Trust the F—- in Apartment 23, for which he was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for Male Scene Stealing in 2012. He also performed several skits for the comedy website Funny or Die, including one called Vandermemes that went viral due to his so-called “ugly crying face”.

Fellow teens Sarah Michelle Gellar and Chad Michael Murray were among those who immediately paid tribute to the actor on social media. “I’m so sad for your beautiful family,” Gellar captioned the post. “Although James’ legacy will always live on, this is a huge loss not only to your family, but to the world. Cancer be damned.”

“Sending love and light to your beautiful family. James was a giant. We are so sorry for what you are going through. His words, art and humanity have inspired us all – he has inspired us to be better in every way. God bless you guys,” Murray wrote.

Jennifer Garner also commented, “What a heartbreaking loss. Much love to you, Kimberly and your kids, as you navigate this difficult time.”

On Instagram, actor Paul Walter Hauser posted a photo of the money he helped raise for Van Der Beek’s cancer treatment, along with the message: “I love you James. I know you are in heaven spoiled with love. Van der Beeks will be in our daily prayers and we will raise some money to support your beautiful family. Thank you for your body of work and for being one of the good guys.”

Roger Avary, the Canadian-American director who directed Van Der Beek in Rules of Attraction, praised the actor and friend as “a pillar of strength for me and my family during the most difficult times.”

He added on the

Van Der Beek leaves behind his wife, Kimberly, and their six children, Olivia, Joshua, Annabelle, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.

Shortly after Van Der Beek’s death was announced, Kimberly posted a link to a GoFundMe to help cover expenses in the wake of his extended medical treatment. “My friends have created this connection to support me and my children during this time,” she wrote. “With gratitude and a broken heart.”

According to the fundraiser, which is seeking to raise $500,000 for the Van Der Beek family, the costs of medical care have “deprived the family of funds. They are working hard to remain in their home and to ensure the children are able to continue their education and maintain some stability during this extremely difficult time. The support of friends, family and the wider community will make a huge difference as they navigate the road ahead.”