Michelle Williams has publicly addressed the death of her former Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek for the first time, expressing gratitude for the support shown to his family. Van Der Beek died last month at age 48 after treatment for stage 3 colorectal cancer.
Speaking at the Actor Awards, where she won Best Female Actor in a Limited Series for Dying for Sex, Williams told Entertainment Tonight: “I’m thinking about him, and I’m thinking about his family constantly.” She added: “It’s been such an amazing thing as James’s friend, and a friend of the family, to see the response in the wake of his passing. I just really want to say thank you to each and every person who contributed to sustaining their life and their children’s lives.”
After Van Der Beek’s death, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to support his wife Kimberly and their six children, raising over $2.5 million. Donors included director Steven Spielberg, who gave $25,000. However, some online critics questioned the need for a fundraiser given Van Der Beek’s fame.
Broadway star Donna Vivino defended the family on Instagram, noting that they rented their farm and did not receive Dawson’s Creek residuals. Van Der Beek had previously stated in 2012 that “there was no residual money” from the show. Vivino also highlighted that Van Der Beek had been auctioning memorabilia before his death and that cancer treatment is expensive even with insurance.
