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(NEXSTAR) – James Van Der Beek, who became a household name as a teen idol through his role in “Dawson’s Creek,” has passed away, his family confirmed on Wednesday.
The actor succumbed to colorectal cancer at the age of 48.
“This morning, our cherished James David Van Der Beek left us peacefully,” shared his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, on Instagram. “In his final days, he displayed courage, faith, and grace. There is much to convey about his desires, his love for humanity, and the preciousness of time. Those moments will come. For now, we request privacy as we mourn our dear husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
Van Der Beek first disclosed his battle with cancer during a conversation with People magazine in November 2024.
“I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been quietly managing this diagnosis while taking steps towards recovery, supported by my incredible family,” he revealed to the publication.
“There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” he said at the time.
The actor rose to fame as a young actor on the show “Dawson’s Creek,” which premiered in 1998. A year later, he starred in “Varsity Blues,” for which he won an MTV Movie Award.
He went on to act in “CSI: Cyber,” “Criminal Minds,” “One Tree Hill” and other works, but was forever connected to “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003 on The WB.
The series followed a high school group of friends as they learned about falling in love, creating real friendships and finding their footing in life. Van Der Beek, than 20, played 15-year-old Dawson Leery, who aspired to be a director of Steven Spielberg quality.
Van Der Beek sometimes struggled to get out from under the shadow of the show but eventually leaned into lampooning himself, like on Funny Or Die videos and on Kesha’s “Blow” music video, which included his laser gun battle with the pop star in a nightclub and dead unicorns.
“It’s tough to compete with something that was the cultural phenomenon that ‘Dawson’s Creek’ was,” he told Vulture in 2013. “It ran for so long. That’s a lot of hours playing one character in front of people. So it’s natural that they associate you with that.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.