James Van Der Beek shared his final post – a touching message about his daughter – just weeks before his death, aged 48.
The Dawson’s Creek actor honoured the 12-year-old Annabel on Instagram, comparing her to his father, who shares a birthday.
“My father and my daughter share a birthday today. At first, I thought that was all they shared – they seemed so different to me,” he wrote.
“But as the two of you have evolved, and let more of who you are shine through, I can recognize the same open, warm, loving, gentle heart. I see the care and dedication you shower upon those you love most.”
He continued: “In this crazy world, it’s a wonder to me that you’ve managed to stay so open, so tender, and so genuinely good.
“You are marvels… and I’m so insanely grateful to have you in my life. The world is a better place because the two of you are in it.”
Van Der Beek’s wife confirmed the actor’s death on Wednesday (11 February), writing in an Instagram post: “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,” she continued.
In November 2024, the actor revealed that he had privately been receiving treatment for stage 3 colorectal cancer. Initially brushing off symptoms including irregular bowel movements, Van Der Beek assumed the change was down to his caffeine intake before he was diagnosed in the summer of 2023.
Following the news of his death, tributes from fans and peers have begun pouring in. “I’m so sad for your beautiful family,” Sarah Michelle Gellar commented on the Instagram post. “While James’ legacy will always live on, this is a huge loss to not just your family but the world. F*** Cancer.”
“Sending love and light to your beautiful family,” One Tree Hill star Chad Michael Murray added. “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.”
The actor is best known for his role in teen series Dawson’s Creek, starring alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams. The show ran for six seasons, airing 128 episodes between 1998 to 2003.
Dawson’s Creek became an instant success, portraying the angst and innocence of adolescence in a fictional Massachusetts town, and gripping young viewers with storylines including Dawson’s longstanding crush on Joey (Holmes).
Van Der Beek’s experience as a teen actor was a mixed bag, as he admitted in 2017 that hearing the show’s theme tune, “I Don’t Want to Wait” by Paula Cole, provoked an instant “weird panic”.
“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.”
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