James Van Der Beek, ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star, Dies at 48

James Van Der Beek, the actor who became a defining face of late-’90s teen television as earnest aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery on The WB’s Dawson’s Creek, died Wednesday following a prolonged battle with colorectal cancer. He was 48. His family confirmed the news on social media.

Van Der Beek publicly disclosed his diagnosis in November 2024. In a statement posted to Instagram, his family wrote, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. 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.”

In the months after revealing his illness, the actor auctioned memorabilia from Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues to help offset treatment costs. He also withdrew from a one-night Dawson’s Creek reunion benefiting F Cancer; Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in for the live stage reading of the pilot. Van Der Beek had recently been cast in a recurring role as a mayoral candidate in Prime Video’s upcoming Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle.

Born March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek began his professional acting career at 16, appearing off-Broadway in Edward Albee’s Finding the Sun, directed by Albee. Though he would become synonymous with television, he often described himself as “a theater kid” at heart.

That changed in 1997 when he was cast in Dawson’s Creek, Kevin Williamson’s coming-of-age drama that premiered in January 1998 to record ratings for The WB. The series, which also launched the careers of Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams, became a cultural touchstone, dominating among teenage viewers and running for six seasons through 2003. It later found new life on streaming, introducing Van Der Beek’s performance to another generation.

As his television fame grew, Van Der Beek headlined the 1999 high school football drama Varsity Blues and later starred in the Bret Easton Ellis adaptation The Rules of Attraction (2002). Though neither film was a blockbuster on release, both became emblematic of the era and earned enduring cult followings.

His later work included a starring role opposite Patricia Arquette on CBS’ CSI: Cyber and a self-aware turn playing a heightened version of himself on ABC’s Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23. He also voiced a lead role on Disney Channel’s animated series Vampirina and appeared on shows ranging from One Tree Hill to Modern Family and Law & Order: SVU.

Van Der Beek is survived by his wife of more than 25 years, Kimberly, and their six children — four daughters and two sons. A GoFundMe page has been established to assist his family with living expenses.