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James Van Der Beek, adored for his role in Dawson’s Creek, has passed away at the age of 48.
The news was confirmed Wednesday, February 11, in a statement shared on his Instagram account.
A heartfelt statement shared, “Our cherished James David Van Der Beek left us peacefully this morning. He embraced his final days with bravery, faith, and grace. There is much to unfold about his desires, his love for humanity, and the value of time. Those stories will be told. For now, we request privacy to mourn our dear husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
TMZ reported that the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office was notified of the actor’s passing at 6:44 a.m.
Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in August 2023, but he chose to keep this personal battle private until November 2024.
The actor gained widespread recognition in the late 1990s as the lead in Dawson’s Creek. Just last year, he intended to reunite with his co-stars in September but unfortunately had to cancel his participation at the last moment.
Born on March 8, 1977, in Connecticut, Van Der Beek initially dreamed of becoming an athlete, but he was bit by the acting bug in his teens. By age 20, he had booked the role that would define his early career: Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek.
The series ran from 1998 to 2003 and launched the careers of costars Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson.
His career later expanded into a mix of film and TV roles as well as stage appearances, including a turn on Dancing with the Stars in 2019.
In his personal life, after divorcing actress Heather McComb, he met his second wife, Kimberly, on a trip to Israel in 2009. They share six children: Olivia in 2010, Joshua in 2012, Annabel Leah in 2014, Emilia in 2016, Gwendolyn in 2018, and Jeremiah in 2021.
In 2024, Van Der Beek revealed to People that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer at 46, after noticing changes in his health the year prior.
“This has been a crash course in the mastery of mind, body, and spirit,” he told the outlet at the time. “I thought, ‘This is either going to take me out of the body, or it’s going to teach me how to truly live in it.’”