Los Angeles – James Van Der Beek, the soft-eyed actor whose boyish good looks and earnestness landed him the leading role in ’90s teen drama “ Dawson’s Creek” and catapulted him to stardom, has died. He was 48.
The actor died Wednesday, according to a statement posted to his verified Instagram.
“He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” the statement said. “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.”
His representative Whitney Tancred also confirmed the news when reached by CNN.
Van Der Beek announced in November 2024 that he was living with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
Following his death, Van Der Beek’s wife Kimberly, with whom he shared six children, shared a link via social media to a GoFundMe campaign, asking for support because Van Der Beek’s illness left the family in “financial strain.”
“The costs of James’ medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds,” the campaign page states. “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.”
Born in 1977 in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek was the eldest of three children. He caught the acting bug in middle school, and when he was 15, he told his mother he wanted to audition professionally.
“She didn’t hold me back,” he once recounted. “She took me to NYC, and she walked me through it.”
Soon after, he was cast in an off-Broadway play, “Finding the Sun,” and later won an academic scholarship to Drew University in New Jersey.
More roles followed, including the role of Rick Sanford in the 1995 film “ Angus”, followed by a bit part in “I Love You, I Love You Not” starring Claire Danes.
After taking some time off from college to travel, Van Der Beek auditioned for the starring role in “ Dawson’s Creek,” which would make him a star.
Speaking to Larry King, Van Der Beek once explained how he initially wrote off the prospect of playing Dawson Leery, an impressionable New England teen and film freak coming of age alongside his childhood friends. The characters were written as 15 year olds. When the actor auditioned, he was already 20.
“Then they called me back and wanted to fly me out here to test in LA, at which point I read the script and really loved it,” he said, going on to recount how he read for various studio heads along with the creator of “Dawson’s Creek,” Kevin Williamson.
Van Der Beek explained that he later found out that certain executives didn’t want him for the role, but that Williamson “had to put his foot down and say, ‘Listen, I created this guy, I know this guy, this kid is this guy!’” The night-time WB teen soap, which ran for six seasons from 1998 until 2003, also starred Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams, and helped launch their careers.
Van Der Beek also found success on the big screen in 1999’s “Varsity Blues,” 2001’s “Texas Rangers” and “The Rules of Attraction” in 2002. He was also a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” for Season 28 in 2019.
The tributes for Van Der Beek quickly poured in Wednesday following the news of his passing. (CNN)
