Former teen heartthrob James Van Der Beek, who won the hearts of TV viewers in beloved drama series Dawson’s Creek, is being remembered by his co-stars following his death, aged 48.
Van Der Beek brought an intensity to the character of Dawson Leery, a role that spawned online memes and self-aware cameos in films, such as spoof horror Scary Movie. He was respectful to the show’s fandom in the decades after it finished, remaining close friends with fellow actors Katie Holmes and Busy Philipps.
The actor’s death follows his diagnosis of stage 3 colorectal cancer in November 2024.
He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children together. Kimberly wrote in a tribute on Instagram: “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.”
Fellow celebrities including Jennifer Garner, Lin Manuel Miranda shared tributes to van Der Beek, including his Dawson’s Creek costar Busy Phillips, who described him as “one in a billion.”
“My heart is deeply hurting for all of us today… every person who knew James and loved him, anyone who loved his work or had the pleasure of meeting him, all of his dear friends and community that surrounded him as he battled this illness,” Phillips wrote.
KEY POINTS
- James Ven Der Beek dies at age 48
- Katie Holmes shares handwritten tribute to 'Dawson's Creek' co-star
- James Van Der Beek's final video message to fans
- James Van Der Beek remained 'optimistic' after revealing cancer diagnosis
- GoFundMe for James Van Der Beek’s widow Kimberly passes $1m
GoFundMe passes $1.4 million raised
15:03 , Carsen HoladayThe GoFundMe page launched to support James Van Der Beek’s family in the wake of his death has surpassed $1,400,000 raised.
Among the donations is a recurring monthly $2,500 donation from actor Zoe Saldaña.
'Good Morning America' pays tribute with segment
14:44 , Carsen HoladayGood Morning America anchor Robin Roberts has shared a statement remembering when she spoke to James Van Der Beek about his cancer diagnosis last year.
“So sad to hear about his passing after a valiant fight with colorectal cancer,” Roberts wrote on X. “He was such a devoted husband and father…and coming up we’re taking a look back at his life and legacy.”
I’ll never forget sitting down with James Van Der Beek a little over a year ago on @GMA. So sad to hear about his passing after a valiant fight with colorectal cancer. He was such a devoted husband and father…and coming up we’re taking a look back at his life and legacy.
— Robin Roberts (@RobinRoberts) February 12, 2026
James Van Der Beek was a generation's soulmate
14:28 , Carsen HoladayIn the final episode of Dawson’s Creek, Dawson’s younger sister Lilly asked him what a soulmate is. “It’s like a best friend, but more,” replies Dawson. “A soulmate is someone you carry with you forever.”
In that way, Van Der Beek became the soulmate of a generation, wrote The Independent’s Kevin E. G. Perry.
Read his obituary here:
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Goodbye, Dawson: James Van Der Beek was a generation’s soulmate
The film that's well worth a re-watch
14:00 , Jacob StolworthyIf you’re looking to honour James Van Der Beek, might we recommend a re-watch of Varisty Blues?
The coming-of-age film about a small-town high school football team isn’t the best film ever, but it’s a surprisingly serious, nostalgic trip you should definitely tick off.
'Masked Singer' appearance
13:40 , Jacob StolworthyIn one of his final screen appearances, James Van Der Beek was a contestant on the US version of The Masked Singer.
He performed as Griffin – and made it through to the sixth week of the competition.
James Van Der Beek had' complicated' relationship with 'Dawson's Creek' theme
13:15 , Jacob StolworthyPaula Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait” was the soundtrack to many teens’ childhood – but for the actor at the centre of Dawson’s Creek, the theme song haunted him.
“I have a complicated relationship with that song,” he told The Guardian in 2017.
“If I was at karaoke and it started playing there’s a part of me – and I’m a f***ing grown-ass man with four kids – that still wants to go hide under the table.
“I was at a pharmacy in Philadelphia and it came on and I immediately went into a weird panic. I think it’s tied to the pandemonium that accompanied that, for which there was no off button. Walking around at that time was very tricky because one autograph could turn into a mob scene. So I walked around in fear of teenage girls.”
James Van Der Beek loved his infamous GIF
13:05 , Jacob StolworthyIf you don’t know James Van Der Beek from Dawson’s Creek, you will definitely know him from the GIF ripped from Dawson’s Creek.
His character’s crying face was so memorable that it was immortalised as a meme in the early days of the internet.
“I love it,” Van Der Beek once said of the GIF to Entertainment Weekly. “It’s hilarious to me that you can work for six years on a show, 120-something hours, and it gets boiled down to three seconds.”
The Van Der Beeks' fortuitous meeting that led to their happy marriage
12:42 , Jacob StolworthyJames Van Der Beek met his wife Kimberly during a chance encounter while he was telling his friend about his need to find a “soulmate.”
The actor married his first wife, Heather McComb, in 2003, before filing for divorce in 2009.
Later, during a spiritual trip to Israel, Van Der Beek said he had a “realisation” that he needed to find his “soulmate” to start a family. When he shared the revelation with a friend, his soon-to-be wife, Kimberley Brook, interrupted the discussion to ask the friend a question.
“I was annoyed. Who the hell was stepping all over my moment?” he recalled later. The pair began dating within weeks, and married a year later in a ceremony in Tel Aviv in 2010.
The unexpected post-Dawson's Creek career choice
12:20 , Jacob StolworthyAfter starring in the teen-friendly Dawson’s Creek, James Van Der Beek gear-shifted somewhat to star in a project focusing on a more hedonistic set of characters.
In 2002, he signed up to play Sean Bateman – the brother of American Psycho’s Patrick – in an adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s The Rules of Attraction.
It was a box office failure but has since gained a cult following – not least because of memorable scenes like this:
James Van Der Beek wasn’t your average leading star; he brought unexpected layers to his role in Dawson’s Creek. For The Independent’s Adam White, he was the Tony Soprano of teen dramas.
Hear him out here:
Dawson Leery was the Tony Soprano of fictional teenage nonsense
James Van Der Beek – a self-aware icon
11:50 , Jacob StolworthyAfter Dawson’s Creek went stratospheric, the actor made it clear he was willing to poke fun at his status as a teen heartthrob with funny cameo appearances as himself in both Scary Movie (2000) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001).
James Van Der Beek in Scary Movie (2000) pic.twitter.com/9XYm001vfC
— DeadFred (@DeadFredHorror) February 11, 2026
Katie Holmes's handwritten letter in full
11:35 , Jacob StolworthyKatie Holmes, who played James Van Der Beek’s love interest in Dawson’s Creek, wrote down a tribute – and shared it online hours after his death.
“James, Thank you.
“To share space with your imagination is sacred – breathing the same air in the land of make believe and trusting that each others’ hearts are safe in their expression…
“These are some of the memories, along with laughter, conversations about life, James Taylor songs – adventures of a unique youth…”
“Bravery. Compassion. Selflessness. Strength. An appreciation for life and the action taken to live life with the integrity that life is art – creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children – the journey of a hero.
“I mourn this loss with a heart holding the reality of his absence and deep gratitude for his imprint on it.”
James Van Der Beek dropped out of uni to star in 'Dawson's Creek'
10:45 , Jacob StolworthyThe actor auditioned for Dawson’s Creek in 1997 and dropped out of Drew University after securing the lead as Dawson Leery.
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The show was picked up by the WB Network and, when it premiered, it became an instant success, portraying the angst and innocence of adolescence in a fictional Massachusetts town.
He was 20 years old when he began filming the show – five years older than the 15-year-old character he was portraying.
Katie Holmes pays tribute to 'Dawson's Creek' co-star
10:22 , Jacob StolworthyKatie Holmes has shared a handwritten note she wrote in tribute to her “beloved” Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek.
The actor starred opposite Van Der Beek for the duration of the teen drama, in one of the central relationships – that of Dawson and Joey.
She said the news is “a lot to process” as she recalled their “adventures of a unique youth”.
Reese Witherspoon 'devastated' by news
09:30 , Jacob StolworthyReese Witherspoon was one of the last stars who got to work with James Van Der Beek; the actor shot scenes for the forthcoming Legally Blonde TV series.
She wrote: “What an extraordinary, talented man who also showed great kindness and grace in every action.
“Praying all the angels watch over his family during this difficult time.”
James Van Der Beek's final post
09:02 , Jacob StolworthyThe Dawson’s Creek actor honoured his 12-year-old daughter Annabel in his moving last post before his death.
James Van Der Beek shared moving final post weeks before death
Emma Slater says James Van Der Beek became ‘family’ after Dancing With the Stars
08:30 , Shahana YasminEmma Slater has shared a tribute to James Van Der Beek, her partner on season 28 of Dancing With the Stars in 2019.
The pair finished fifth on the series, and Slater wrote that what began as a ballroom partnership “continued into the deepest of friendships”.
“All those who had the pleasure of having you in their lives are blessed. Forever changed by your brilliance. We got to have these beautiful years sharing life together,” she wrote on Instagram.
Slater shared she had seen him shortly before his death and was grateful for the chance to speak with him. “We laughed together. And I promised I would feel your presence always, as I already have.”
Melissa Joan Hart remembers James Van Der Beek as ‘a great father’
08:15 , Shahana YasminMelissa Joan Hart has paid tribute to James Van Der Beek, describing him as “truly a nice guy”.
Hart, who starred as Clarissa Darling on the 1990s Nickelodeon sitcom Clarissa Explains It All, shared pictures with Van Der Beek, who guest-starred as Paulie in a 1993 episode.
“He was truly a nice guy, a great father, wonderful actor and will always be my first on screen kiss when he guest starred on Clarissa Explains It All. Gone way too soon but it seems like he put up one hell of a fight. We ran into each other at the singing game show We Are Family about two years ago when he sang a song with his daughter, encouraging her like a good dad does,” she wrote on Instagram.
James Van Der Beek had reportedly been working on a memoir before his death
07:45 , Shahana YasminJames Van Der Beek had been quietly writing a memoir in the months before his death, according to Deadline.
The Dawson's Creek actor was working on the book between filming commitments, sources told the outlet.
It is not known how much of the manuscript had been completed, nor whether there are plans for the memoir to be published posthumously.
James Van Der Beek to appear in two forthcoming releases
07:00 , Shahana YasminJames Van Der Beek completed work on two projects that are due for release in the coming months.
The actor had a recurring role in Elle, a forthcoming Amazon Prime Video series set to be released on 1 July. A prequel to Legally Blonde, the show follows a teenage Elle Woods, played by Lexi Minetree, and is created by Laura Kittrell. Van Der Beek plays Dean Wilson, a mayoral candidate and school district superintendent in the city.
He also appears in the feature film The Gates, which is scheduled for release in select US cinemas on 13 March through Lionsgate Premiere.
Paul Walter Hauser says he will continue raising money for Van Der Beek’s family
06:45 , Shahana YasminActor Paul Walter Hauser has said he will continue fundraising to support James Van Der Beek’s family following the actor’s death.
Hauser had launched a Cameo campaign in January after learning that Van Der Beek was selling memorabilia from projects including Varsity Blues and Dawson’s Creek to help cover colorectal cancer treatment costs.
An update he shared on his Instagram revealed he had managed to raise another $14,000 for Van Der Beek’s treatment.
After news of Van Der Beek’s death, Hauser pledged to continue his support for “one of the good guys”, writing: “Love you, James. The Van Der Beeks will be in our daily prayers and we’ll be drumming up some money to support your beautiful family.”
Van Der Beek had announced in 2024 that he had been privately dealing with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
Roger Avary says James Van Der Beek was a ‘pillar of strength’
06:30 , Shahana YasminDirector and screenwriter Roger Avary has paid tribute to James Van Der Beek, with whom he worked on the 2002 film The Rules of Attraction.
In a statement on X, Avary described Van Der Beek as a “dear friend” and “a pillar of strength to me and my family during the hardest of times”.
The pair collaborated on the adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s novel, in which Van Der Beek played the lead role of Sean Bateman.
“I knew he was fighting a terrible battle with courage and compassion, and I’m blessed that we had just recently had a very philosophical and existential phone conversation,” Avary wrote.
I’ve today learned that my dear friend James Van Der Beek, with whom I worked with on The Rules of Attraction, who has been a pillar of strength to me and my family during the hardest of times, passed away last night. I knew he was fighting a terrible battle with courage and…
— Roger Avary (@AVARY) February 11, 2026
“I have never known anyone else quite like him, and rarely felt so close a working connection, and my heart is broken at the loss, and my thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children.”
Alfonso Ribeiro says he is ‘so broken’ after James Van Der Beek’s death
06:00 , Shahana YasminAlfonso Ribeiro, a longtime close friend and godfather to James Van Der Beek’s daughter Gwendolyn, has said he is “so broken right now” following the actor’s death.
In an Instagram post, Ribeiro described Van Der Beek as his “true friend, brother, and life guide”.
“I was with him through this horrible journey to beat cancer. His family and friends went on this roller coaster ride. The highs when it looked like he had it beat to the breaking lows of it coming back. I’ve learned so much from James,” Ribeiro wrote.
Ribeiro added that he would always be there for Van Der Beek and his wife, Kimberly’s children and described his role as Gwen’s “Goddie daddy” as “one of the most important roles” of his life.
“Being able to say goodbye this weekend will always live with me. RIP my brother,” he wrote.
Fundraiser for James Van Der Beek’s widow Kimberly passes $1m after family reveals financial toll of cancer treatment
05:30 , Shahana YasminJames Van Der Beek’s wife Kimberly has asked fans to donate to a fundraiser for the family after revealing that the Dawson’s Creek star’s cancer treatment has taken a huge financial toll on the family.
Friends of the late actor set up the GoFundMe shortly after news of Van Der Beek’s death broke. The fundraiser hit its initial target of goal of $500,000 within four hours and has now passed $1m.
“James Van Der Beek was a beloved husband, father, and friend who touched the lives of everyone around him,” the fundraiser reads.
“Throughout his illness, the family faced not only emotional challenges but also significant financial strain as they did everything possible to support James and provide for his care.”
The money raised is meant to cover “essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education”.
Fundraiser for James Van Der Beek’s widow Kimberly passes $1m
Goodbye, Dawson: James Van Der Beek was a generation’s soulmate
05:00 , Shahana YasminJames Van Der Beek was just 20 years old when he began filming Dawson’s Creek in 1997 and still just about able to pass for the 15-year-old title character of the much-loved teen drama.
With his golden hair and expressive eyes, Van Der Beek made an immediate impression and it wasn’t long before fans across the world were smitten. Dawson was the poetic, sensitive heart of the show, and when it came to an end six seasons later in 2003, viewers were heartbroken. In the final episode, Dawson’s younger sister Lilly asked him what a soulmate is. “It’s like a best friend, but more,” replies Dawson. “A soulmate is someone you carry with you forever.”
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Goodbye, Dawson: James Van Der Beek was a generation’s soulmate
Kesha remembers James Van Der Beek from ‘Blow’ music video
04:45 , Shahana YasminKesha has paid tribute to James Van Der Beek after news of the actor’s death.
She posted two throwback pictures with the actor on her Instagram Stories, taken on a red carpet shortly after the release of their “Blow” music video.
In one image, Van Der Beek points playfully at her; in another, the pair embrace.
The music video for Kesha’s 2011 single Blow saw Van Der Beek cast as her mischievous opponent.
What is Colorectal Cancer?
04:30 , Mike BediganJames Van Der Beek announced that he had been diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer in November 2024, just over year before his death.
According to the American Cancer Society, Colorectal cancer starts in the colon or the rectum.
These cancers can also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start. Colon cancer and rectal cancer are often grouped together because they have many features in common.
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States.
In pictures: The star of Dawson's Creek
04:10 , Mike Bedigan
James Van Der Beek remained 'optimistic' after revealing cancer diagnosis
03:50 , Mike BediganJames Van Der Beek remained optimistic after revealing his colorectal cancer diagnosis in November 2024.
"I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he told People at the time.
“There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
The Van Der Beeks' fortuitous meeting that led to their happy marriage
03:10 , Mike BediganVan Der Beek met his wife Kimberly during a chance encounter while he was telling his friend about his need to find a “soulmate.”
The actor married his first wife, Heather McComb, in 2003, before filing for divorce in 2009.
Later, during a spiritual trip to Israel, Van Der Beek said he had a “realisation” that he needed to find his “soulmate” to start a family. When he shared the revelation with a friend, his soon-to-be wife, Kimberley Brook, interrupted the discussion to ask the friend a question.
“I was annoyed. Who the hell was stepping all over my moment?” he recalled later. The pair began dating within weeks, and married a year later in a ceremony in Tel Aviv in 2010.
James Van Der Beek 'never wanted to be an actor'
02:50 , Mike BediganBorn in Cheshire, Connecticut, on 8 March 1977, James Van Der Beek “never wanted to be an actor” and instead thought he’d be an athlete.
But after getting a concussion aged 13, he was forced to cut his training short and took up drama instead.
He started acting aged 13 and played Reuben in his school’s production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and then Danny Zuko in Grease.
Precocious in his determination, he insisted that his mother, Belinda, take him to New York to secure an agent aged 15.
He auditioned for Dawson’s Creek in 1997 and dropped out of Drew University once he secured the lead as Dawson Leery. The show was picked up by the WB Network and launched the careers of Van Der Beek and his co-stars Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams.
James Van Der Beek turned down big roles that went to Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper
02:30 , Mike BediganJames Van Der Beek once admitted that admitted that after Dawson’s Creek, he had been too cautious and turned down roles that went to other huge stars.
Speaking to Vanity Fair he said he had turned down a role in The Amityville Horror, which went to Ryan Reynolds, and another in Wedding Crashers, which went to Bradley Cooper.
“That’s actually one that I kick myself over as well,” he told the outlet about Cooper’s role. “I mean, everything works out, and I’m happy with where I’m at...”
Goodbye, Dawson: James Van Der Beek was a generation’s soulmate
01:30 , Kevin PerryJames Van Der Beek was just 20 years old when he began filming Dawson’s Creek in 1997 and still just about able to pass for the 15-year-old title character of the much-loved teen drama.
With his golden hair and expressive eyes, Van Der Beek made an immediate impression and it wasn’t long before fans across the world were smitten. Dawson was the poetic, sensitive heart of the show, and when it came to an end six seasons later in 2003, viewers were heartbroken.
In the final episode, Dawson’s younger sister Lilly asked him what a soulmate is. “It’s like a best friend, but more,” replies Dawson. “A soulmate is someone you carry with you forever.”
Continue reading The Independent’s look back at Van Der Beek’s career:
Goodbye, Dawson: James Van Der Beek was a generation’s soulmate
Van Der Beek's on-screen mother pays tribute
01:00 , Kevin PerryMary-Margaret Humes, who played Dawson’s mother Gail on Dawson’s Creek, wrote on Instagram:
“Rarely am I at a loss for words … today would be the exception. James, my gracious warrior, you fought a hard battle against all odds with such quiet strength and dignity.
“I will always love and admire you for that. Our last conversations … merely a few days ago … are forever sitting softly in my heart for safe keeping. To our extended Dawson’s Creek family of friends, please be respectful of our silences at the moment as Beautiful Kimberly and family have asked for peaceful privacy for now.”
Van Der Beek's first director recalls audition for debut film
00:15 , Kevin PerryPatrick Read Johnson was the director who gave James Van Der Beek his first film role in the 1995 coming-of-age drama Angus.
He shared his memory of the audition on X, writing: “The day I first met James Van Der Beek, he was auditioning to play Rick, the Quarterback/Homecoming King/Asshole/Bully in Angus.
“When he walked in, and was, instead of what I was expecting, one of the most charming guys I'd ever had try out for a part, I thought, ‘Kid... you need to come through the door in character-- You need to make me feel the way I did every time the jocks that used to torture geeks like ME used to feel when GODS like you walked into a room!’
“Instead, James read the part-- and played it-- just as charming as he really was. And, somewhere in the middle of it all, it hit me like a frozen pint of Uta Hagen Daz ice cream to the head-- that the Rick we needed HAD to be exactly as charming as James really was.
“He needed to be the guy everyone-- even his bullying victims-- could hardly help but have a crush on. It made him far more powerful than some simmering, knuckle-dragging, brute. James knew exactly what he was doing that day... And he took his considerable skills and complete commitment to the work and built a character that really worked for the film.
“He used to thank me, a lot, over the course of the making of the film, for giving him his first feature leading role. But, honestly, I was the one who got the most out of that deal. So long, James. Break a leg out there.”
The day I first met James Van Der Beek, he was auditioning to play Rick, the Quarterback/Homecoming King/Asshole/Bully in "Angus". When he walked in, and was, instead of what I was expecting, one of the most charming guys I'd ever had try out for a part, I thought, "Kid... you… pic.twitter.com/XFCkfVzSBI
— Patrick Read Johnson/Fan One (@moonwatcher1) February 11, 2026
'The Rules of Attraction' director says Van Der Beek was a 'pillar of strength'
Wednesday 11 February 2026 23:01 , Kevin PerryRoger Avary, the filmmaker who co-wrote Pulp Fiction before going on to direct The Rules of Attraction, has paid tribute to the latter film’s star on X:
“I’ve today learned that my dear friend James Van Der Beek, with whom I worked with on The Rules of Attraction, who has been a pillar of strength to me and my family during the hardest of times, passed away last night.
“I knew he was fighting a terrible battle with courage and compassion, and I’m blessed that we had just recently had a very philosophical and existential phone conversation.
“I have never known anyone else quite like him, and rarely felt so close a working connection, and my heart is broken at the loss, and my thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children. God bless you, James. I love you forever.”
Ben Stiller shares tribute
Wednesday 11 February 2026 22:45 , Carsen HoladayBen Stiller took to X to say although he didn’t know James Van Der Beek personally, he is sending condolences to his family for the loss.
“He just seemed like a great person and loving family man and he gave the world so much,” the actor and director wrote. “Sending love to his family.”
Really saddened at this news. I didn’t really know James Van Der Beek, but you could feel his heart. What a loss - and how bravely and intentionally he chose to help people through his experience. He just seemed like a great person and loving family man and he gave the world so…
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) February 11, 2026
Alfonso Ribeiro says he is 'broken' over James Van Der Beek's death
Wednesday 11 February 2026 22:41 , Carsen HoladayDancing with the Stars host Alfonso Ribeiro has shared a tribute to James Van Der Beek, saying that he is “broken” over the passing of his friend.
“He was my true friend brother and life guide,” Ribeiro wrote.
“I was with him through this horrible journey to beat cancer. His family and friends went on this roller coaster ride. The highs when it looked like he had it beat to the breaking lows of it coming back. I’ve learned so much from james. He and [his wife Kimberly] changed my life. I will forever be in debt for all they’ve given me and my family.”
Ribeiro continued: “He will live forever in my heart. I will always be there for their children. I will always hold my role as Gwen’s Goddie daddy as one of the most important roles of my life. I love you James and know I have a guardian angel watching over me. Being able to say goodbye this weekend will always live with me. RIP my brother. RIP.”
What type of cancer did James Van Der Beek have?
Wednesday 11 February 2026 22:06 , Carsen HoladayJames Van Der Beek first announced his diagnosis with stage three colorectal cancer in November 2024.
Colorectal cancer is a type of cancer that starts in either the colon or the rectum, which are both parts of the large intestine in the body’s digestive system.
It is the deadliest cancer among people under 50 in the U.S.
Co-star Busy Phillips shares heartbreak
Wednesday 11 February 2026 21:50 , Carsen HoladayDawson’s Creek actor Busy Phillips has shared an emotional tribute to James Van Der Beek on Instagram.
“My heart is deeply hurting for all of us today…every person who knew James and loved him, anyone who loved his work or had the pleasure of meeting him, all of his dear friends and community that surrounded him as he battled this illness, especially his parents and brother and sister,” Phillips wrote.
“But I am profoundly heartbroken for his incredible wife Kimberly and their six magical children. There is a go fund me for them to help out and i’ll put the link in my stories.
“James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and he will be forever missed and i don’t know what else to say. i am just so so sad. He was my friend and i loved him and i’m so grateful for our friendship all these years.”
Lin Manuel Miranda sends condolences
Wednesday 11 February 2026 21:25 , Carsen HoladayHamilton star Lin Manuel Miranda, who filled in for James Van Der Beek when stomach viruses prevented him from attending the Dawson’s Creek reunion charity reading in September, posted an Instagram Story sending his love to Kimberly and their children Wednesday.
“My whole heart is with [the Van Der Beek family] today,” Miranda wrote.
Chad Michael Murray remembers co-star
Wednesday 11 February 2026 20:48 , Carsen HoladayActor Chad Michael Murray remembered his fellow ‘90s heartthrob in the comments of Kimberly’s Instagram post.
“Sending love and light to your beautiful family,” Murray wrote. “James was a giant. We’re so so so sorry for what you’re going through.
“His words, art and humanity inspired all of us – he inspired us to be better in all ways. God bless you guys.”
Murray and Van Der Beek were briefly co-stars when Van Der Beek guest starred in multiple episodes of One Tree Hill’s sixth season.
Sarah Michelle Gellar remembers actor
Wednesday 11 February 2026 20:40 , Carsen HoladayActor Sarah Michelle Gellar commented on the Instagram post shared by James Van Der Beek’s family, “I’m so sad for your beautiful family.
“While James’ legacy will always live on, this is a huge loss to not just your family but the world. F*** Cancer.”
James Van Der Beek dies aged 48
Wednesday 11 February 2026 20:26 , Kevin PerryThe Dawson’s Creek star has died, less than two years after he revealed he had privately been receiving treatment for stage 3 colorectal cancer.
Read more here:
