Dawson's Creek Star James Van Der Beek Dead At 48

"Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek has died at 48 years old. His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, confirmed the tragic news in a somber statement on Instagram. "Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace." she wrote

Van Der Beek first revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer on November 3, 2024. "'It is cancer...'" he began in a lengthy post on Instagram. "I've been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I'm in a good place and feeling strong. It's been quite the initiation, and I'll tell you more when I'm ready." He later exclusively told People he had colorectal cancer. Still, he was also careful to note he remained hopeful about his prognosis. "There's reason for optimism, and I'm feeling good," he said.

Van Der Beek was always very open with fans about his incredibly normal life and that didn't change after his cancer diagnosis. In March 2025, the actor went on to share a special video message to his followers titled "What Cancer Taught Me." In the confines of the video, he encouraged viewers to recognize that they are worthy of love, not because of what they do, but because of who they are. According to Van Der Beek, it was not until his cancer diagnosis that he fully understood what that meant. "I couldn't be a father. I couldn't be a husband. I couldn't be a provider. I couldn't be any of these things that I had used as my identity," he revealed. "The conclusion that I came to was that even without all that, I'm still worthy of love simply because I exist."

Sadly, by September, it appeared that James Van Der Beek's condition had taken a turn for the worse when he revealed he was unable to attend the "Dawson's Creek" Class Reunion special that had been months in the making and was set to benefit the F Cancer Foundation. "This is the evening I'd been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January..." he revealed in an Instagram post, explaining that unforeseen stomach viruses were keeping him away. "Despite every effort... I won't get to be there. I won't get to stand on that stage and thank every soul in the theater for showing up for me, and against cancer, when I needed it most," Van Der Beek added before noting that award-winning actor Lin-Manuel Miranda would be standing in for him. "Thank you @lin_manuel . You were a hero to my kids before... now you're a demigod," he gushed.

True to form, however, the bona fide actor and consummate professional found a way to contribute to the performance anyway. As reported by Us Weekly, following live reads from fellow "Dawson's Creek" cast mates Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, and Joshua Jackson, Van Der Beek appeared in a live message played in the theater. "I can't believe I'm not there," he lamented in the sentimental message. "I can't believe I don't get to hug my cast mates, my beautiful cast, in person, and I just wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight — from the cast to the crew to everybody who donated their time and has been so generous. And especially every single last one of you. You're the best fans in the world. Thank you for coming."