Dawson’s Creek co-stars pay tribute after death of “giant” James Van Der Beek, aged 48

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Dawson’s Creek co-stars have led tributes to James Van Der Beek following the actor’s death at 48.

The actor’s family confirmed his death and shared that he faced his final days with courage, faith, and dignity.

Van Der Beek revealed in 2024 that he had been diagnosed with bowel cancer.

The statement read: “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning.”

He faced his final days bravely, with strong faith and dignity. We will share more about his hopes, his deep care for others, and his appreciation for life’s preciousness when the time is right.

We are heartbroken and ask for privacy and peace as we mourn the loss of our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend.

The actor became well-known in 1988 when he starred as Dawson Leery in the popular TV show Dawson’s Creek, which aired until 2003.

He also had roles in the film Varsity Blues, a story about high school football, and made guest appearances on popular TV shows like Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother, Ugly Betty, One Tree Hill, Medium, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

He appeared in several films, including Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, The Rules of Attraction, and Texas Rangers.

I’ve been following James Van Der Beek’s career for a while now, and it’s been interesting to see him pop up in a lot of different places lately. After Dawson’s Creek, he’s kept busy with roles on shows like Pose and CSI: Cyber. He even showed off his moves on Dancing With the Stars a few years back! Just recently, in 2025, I was surprised to see him as the Griffin on The Masked Singer – definitely a fun change of pace!

Katie Holmes, who acted alongside Van Der Beek throughout the series Dawson’s Creek, shared a heartfelt message after learning about his death.

She shared a handwritten note on Instagram, praising the actor for his courage, kindness, generosity, and resilience.

She went on to say that truly valuing life means living it with honesty and purpose, recognizing that life itself is a form of art – like building a strong marriage and raising a loving family. It’s a heroic journey filled with meaning.

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Busy Philipps shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, expressing her sadness over the loss of her former co-star, James Van Der Beek. She described him as a truly special person and said she’s deeply saddened by his passing.

Chad Michael Murray, who starred in Dawson’s Creek, described the late actor as a “giant”.

He shared a heartfelt message on the family’s Instagram post about his death, saying his kindness, creativity, and goodness motivated everyone to strive to be their best. He ended with a blessing for the family.

Kerr Smith, who played Jack McPhee alongside James Van Der Beek for five seasons, shared a heartfelt message, saying he’s thankful to consider James a brother and will miss him dearly. He wished him peace.

Fans will also be able to see Van Der Beek in his two final roles.

The actor will star in ‘Elle,’ a new series coming to Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. The show is a prequel to the film ‘Legally Blonde,’ and he will play Dean Wilson, who is running for mayor and currently leads the school district.

The actor also appeared in the thriller The Gates, directed by John Burr and distributed by Lionsgate Premiere. The film will be released in theaters in March.

Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their four daughters and two sons.

A GoFundMe campaign created to support his family’s financial needs has already raised over $1.2 million, and donations are still coming in.

The page shared a heartfelt message about James Van Der Beek, describing him as a much-loved husband, father, and friend who had a positive impact on those who knew him.

It adds: “In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future.

James’s medical bills and long battle with cancer have unfortunately used up all of the family’s money.

Authors

Molly MossTrends Writer

Molly Moss writes about the newest happenings in TV, movies, and other entertainment for TopMob. She has a master’s degree in journalism and has also contributed to major news outlets like The Guardian, The Times, and The Sun Online.

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2026-02-12 14:36