James Van Der Beek, best known for playing the lead in the hit 1990s teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died at the age of 48 after a battle with bowel cancer. A statement shared on his official Instagram page on Wednesday said: “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith and grace.”
Van Der Beek, who was born in Connecticut in 1977, initially pursued sports until a childhood football accident left him with severe concussion. Doctors advised him to avoid sport for a year, leading him to turn his attention to acting. He was cast as the lead in a school production of Grease before shooting to fame in 1998 as Dawson Leery, the teenage film buff infatuated with his neighbour Joey Potter, played by Katie Holmes.
In November 2024, the actor revealed he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer as he prepared to appear on the US charity television special The Real Full Monty. The show, based on the classic UK film, saw celebrities strip off to raise awareness of cancer. By November 2025, Van Der Beek had announced plans to auction off memorabilia from his career to fund his treatment.
Beyond Dawson’s Creek, Van Der Beek appeared in films including Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction. He also took on tongue-in-cheek roles, such as a cameo in Scary Movie and a self-referential part in Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, for which he earned a Teen Choice Award nomination. He performed multiple skits for the comedy site Funny or Die.
Fellow actors paid tribute on social media. Sarah Michelle Gellar commented: “I’m so sad for your beautiful family. ... Fuck Cancer.” Chad Michael Murray wrote: “James was a giant. ... His words, art and humanity inspired all of us.” Jennifer Garner also expressed her condolences.
