James Van Der Beek, the actor who became a cultural icon portraying aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery in the hit television series “Dawson’s Creek,” died Wednesday at his home. He was 48 years old.
According to the statement shared on Van Der Beek’s Instagram account, James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully that morning, facing his final days with bravery, faith, and grace. The Instagram message added that the family is requesting quiet privacy as they mourn their cherished husband, father, son, brother, and friend.
Van Der Beek was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer in August 2023 after undergoing a colonoscopy. He kept his diagnosis private for more than a year before revealing it publicly in November 2024.
Born March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek caught the acting bug while in middle school. He made his professional television debut at age 16 on an episode of “Clarissa Explains It All” in December 1993 and soon after appeared in an off-Broadway production of Edward Albee’s “Finding the Sun,” launching a career that would span more than three decades across television, film, and voice acting.
Van Der Beek’s breakthrough came in 1998 when he auditioned for and won the title role in The WB network’s new teen drama “Dawson’s Creek.” He dropped out of Drew University in New Jersey to star in the show, which ran for six seasons and 128 episodes. The series paired him with fellow cast members Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson, all of whom became major stars.
Van Der Beek said he “got stupidly lucky” at 20 when he landed in a “zeitgeist, cultural phenomenon” TV show that made him suddenly famous. He acknowledged that his instinct was to “run away from it,” though he wishes he could tell his younger self to “relax, be grateful, enjoy it.”
While starring in “Dawson’s Creek,” Van Der Beek landed the leading role in the 1999 sports drama “Varsity Blues,” playing backup quarterback Jonathan “Mox” Moxon. The film became his most memorable big-screen performance and earned him the best breakout male performance award at the 1999 MTV Movie Awards.
His film career included roles in “Scary Movie” in 2000, “The Rules of Attraction” in 2002, “Formosa Betrayed” in 2009, and “Labor Day” in 2013 alongside Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. He also appeared in “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” in 2019.
Van Der Beek continued working steadily in television after “Dawson’s Creek” ended in May 2003. He played a memorable meta role as a fictionalized version of himself on the ABC sitcom “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23” and starred on “CSI: Cyber.” He also voiced Boris Hauntley on the Disney Junior animated series “Vampirina.”
In 2019, Van Der Beek competed on Season 28 of “Dancing with the Stars,” partnered with professional dancer Emma Slater. They made it to the semifinals and ultimately finished in fifth place.
The “Dawson’s Creek” cast reunited on September 22, 2025, for a live reading of the pilot episode at New York’s Richard Rodgers Theatre, held partly to support Van Der Beek’s cancer battle. Van Der Beek cancelled his appearance at the last minute after developing two stomach viruses simultaneously, but Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in to play Dawson, and Van Der Beek sent a prerecorded message to fans: “You’re the best fans in the world.”
In December 2024, Van Der Beek opened up about the challenges of his cancer diagnosis during an appearance on “Good Morning America.” Van Der Beek said that this marked the beginning of what felt like a full‑time job of managing cancer—registering for multiple medical portals, dealing with insurance calls, and scheduling appointments—and that he had not anticipated how consuming the process would be.
Van Der Beek said he remained largely optimistic despite the challenges, noting that he expected to make life changes he would one day look back on with gratitude. He reflected that about 90 percent of the time he maintained this forward‑looking mindset, while the remaining 10 percent he described himself as a “sobbing, terrified mess,” which he considered a reasonable balance.
In December 2025, Van Der Beek auctioned prized memorabilia from “Dawson’s Creek,” “Varsity Blues,” and other projects through Propstore to help pay for his cancer treatment, raising over $47,000.
Van Der Beek is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. Shortly before his death, he posted a heartfelt birthday tribute to his father and eldest daughter Olivia, who share the same birthday, expressing gratitude for having them in his life.
