Earlier this year, the world sadly lost veteran actor James Van Der Beek, who died at the age of 48 following a battle with colon cancer. Tributes subsequently poured in from fans as well as many of the late Dawson’s Creek star’s friends and co-stars. Van Der Beek leaves behind an excellent body of work, and he still has one more film that’s set to be released posthumously amid the 2026 movie schedule. Now, one of Van Der Beek’s young co-stars on that film is opening about what it was like working with him.
Mason Gooding worked with Van Der Beek on The Gates, an upcoming thriller film written and directed by John Burr. The film centers on three young black men who, while driving through a gated community, witness a murder and end up being pursued by residents who believe they committed it. During an interview with Deadline, Gooding opened up about the experience of making the film. The Scream 7 star eventually referenced his late co-star and how invaluable it was to work with him:
