James Van Der Beek, the beloved actor who rose to fame at the turn of the millennium as Dawson Leery in the hit coming‑of‑age drama “Dawson’s Creek”, has passed away at the age of 48. Known as a teen heartthrob of his era, James embraced humour by playfully poking fun at his own hunky persona, cementing his place in pop culture.
"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,” the actor's family said in a a statement shared on Instagram.
“For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”
Van Der Beek revealed in 2024 that he was being treated for colorectal cancer.
The actor made a surprise video appearance in September at a “Dawson's Creek” reunion charity event in New York City after previously dropping out due to illness.
He appeared projected onstage at the Richard Rodgers Theatre during a live reading of the show's pilot episode to benefit F Cancer and Van Der Beek. Lin-Manuel Miranda subbed for him on stage.
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"Thank you to every single person here,” Van Der Beek said.
A one-time theatre kid, Van Der Beek later starred in the movie “Varsity Blues” and on TV in “CSI: Cyber” as FBI Special Agent Elijah Mundo, but was forever connected to “Dawson's Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003 on The WB.
The series followed a group of high school friends as they learned about falling in love, creating real friendships and finding their footing in life. Van Der Beek, then 20, played 15-year-old Dawson Leery, who aspired to be a director of Steven Spielberg quality.
With Paula Cole's “I Don't Want To Wait,” as its moody theme song, “Dawson's Creek” helped define The WB as a haven for teens and young adults who related to its hyper-articulate dialogue and frank talk about sexuality. And it made household names of Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson.
“While James' legacy will always live on, this is a huge loss to not just your family but the world,” Sarah Michelle Gellar wrote to his widow on Instagram. Katharine McPhee Foster added: “This is just beyond devastating news.”
Others posting messages of mourning were Jenna Dewan and Olivia Munn.
Van Der Beek, who was raised in Cheshire, Connecticut, started acting at 13 after suffering a concussion playing football that prevented him from playing for a year. He landed the role of Danny Zuko in his school production of “Grease.” He stuck with theatre, landing at 16 in 1994 an off-Broadway role in “Finding the Sun” by Pulitzer Prize-winner Edward Albee and one of the sons in a revival of “Shenandoah” at the prestigious Goodspeed Opera House in his home state.
He earned a scholarship to New Jersey's Drew University but left school early when he was cast in “Dawson's Creek.” In 2024, he returned to campus to accept an honorary degree for his “selfless service and exemplary commitment to the mission of Drew,” the university said.
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