James Van Der Beek, the actor best known for playing the title role in the 1990s teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died at the age of 48. A statement shared on his official Instagram page on Wednesday confirmed that he passed away peacefully that morning, surrounded by loved ones. The statement described him as a loving husband, father, son, brother and friend, and asked for privacy as the family grieves.
Van Der Beek revealed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer, shortly before he was due to appear on the US charity special The Real Full Monty. The show, based on the British film, involved celebrities stripping to raise awareness of the disease. A year later, he announced plans to auction memorabilia from his career to help fund his treatment.
Born in Connecticut in 1977, Van Der Beek initially preferred sports, but a football accident that caused a severe concussion led him to acting. He rose to fame in 1998 as Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, a role that made him a global heartthrob. He later appeared in films including Varsity Blues, The Rules of Attraction and Scary Movie, and played a fictionalised version of himself in Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23.
Following the announcement of his death, fellow actors paid tribute on social media. Sarah Michelle Gellar wrote that his legacy would live on, while Chad Michael Murray called him “a giant” and Jennifer Garner described the news as a heartbreaking loss.
