The cast of Dawson's Creek have faced numerous personal tragedies since the show wrapped, with recent revelations about Busy Philipps' brain tumour coming just one day after co-star James Van Der Beek died from bowel cancer.
James Van Der Beek's battle and death
James Van Der Beek, who played the titular character Dawson Leery, died in February 2026 at the age of 48. He had been diagnosed with bowel cancer in August 2023. The actor, who was married to Kimberly Brook, had five children, and the couple suffered a miscarriage in November 2019.
In a handwritten statement posted on Instagram, Katie Holmes remembered her on-screen boyfriend for his "bravery, compassion, selflessness and strength" and his "appreciation for life." Busy Philipps wrote: "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."
Busy Philipps' brain tumour diagnosis
Busy Philipps, 47, revealed that she was diagnosed with a brain tumour earlier this year. The diagnosis came in February, and she underwent two surgeries in early March, just weeks before filming her new CBS series Cupertino. She was diagnosed with grade 2 oligodendroglioma, a rare and slow-growing malignant brain tumour.
The tumour was found during a full-body health scan she underwent one day after James Van Der Beek's death. She considered cancelling the scan, but her ex-husband Marc Silverstein encouraged her to "do it for your friend." After the tumour was successfully removed, Busy learned she would not need chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but will have regular scans to check for recurrence.
Other cast members' lives since Capeside
Katie Holmes, now 47, had a whirlwind romance and marriage to Tom Cruise, with whom she has daughter Suri, now 20. The couple divorced in 2012, and Katie raised Suri in New York. Suri has since dropped her father's surname and is known as Suri Noelle.
Michelle Williams, 45, has had the most successful career of the cast, with four Oscar nominations and two Golden Globe wins. She was in a relationship with Heath Ledger, with whom she had daughter Matilda, and was devastated by his death from an accidental overdose of prescription medication in 2008. She is now married to theatre director Thomas Kail and has three children.
Joshua Jackson, 48, dated Katie Holmes during the first two seasons of the show and later had a 10-year relationship with Diane Kruger. He married Jodie Turner-Smith in 2019, and they welcomed daughter Janie in 2020, but Jodie filed for divorce in 2023 citing "irreconcilable differences."
Kerr Smith, 54, who played Jack McPhee, has focused on his wellness business, TerraLife Wellness, which he runs with his second wife, Lisa. The company describes itself as practising a "preventative, holistic approach to guiding people on their personal journey to mental, physical and spiritual growth."
