Actor James Van Der Beek, star of 'Dawson's Creek', dies at age 48
The actor, who rose to fame at age 21, has died from colon cancer diagnosed in the summer of 2023.
James Van Der Beek, the actor who played the lead in the teen series Dawson growsJames David Van Der Beek, 48, passed away this Wednesday from colon cancer, which was diagnosed in the summer of 2023. "Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He faced his last few days with courage, faith, and grace," his wife, Kim de Berm, announced on Instagram. The couple, who married in 2010, had six children.
The actor announced his cancer diagnosis in November 2024 in an interview with the magazine PeopleThe actor, who was one of the most well-known television actors of the 1990s and 2000s, made his illness public after learning that a tabloid planned to publish the information before he had been able to tell his fans.
James Van der Beek became famous at 21, when he began starring in the series Dawson growsThe series followed the adventures of Dawson Leery, a high school student who dreamed of becoming a film director and following in the footsteps of his idol, Steven Spielberg. In that series, Van der Beek worked alongside Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson.
When the actor publicly announced his illness, he received support from his former co-stars. In fact, in September 2025, they all reunited for a charity event in New York to raise funds for the Fuck Cancer Foundation and also for their friend and colleague. Van der Beek was also scheduled to attend the event, which was organized by Michelle Williams and attended by almost all the actors from the series, but ultimately he couldn't. Two stomach viruses prevented him from traveling to the Broadway theater, where his wife and children were present. To compensate for his absence, he sent a thank-you video showing his weight loss due to cancer. However, the event had an emotional and festive character, and in addition to reading the pilot episode of the series, the entire cast, along with Van der Beek's daughters, sang the theme song of the teen drama.
The character of Dawson Leery was the most iconic of Van der Beek's career, but he also participated in other series and films, such as the comedy Apartment 23 either The rules of the game, an adaptation of a novel by Bret Easton Ellis. Among her most recent works, she has appeared in series such as Pose and ImpostureHis last job had been in comedy. She, prequel to Legally Blonde which will premiere in July on Amazon.