Remembering James Van Der Beek: Dawson’s Creek Star Passes Away at 48

James Van Der Beek, best known for playing Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, has died at 48 after a years‑long battle with colorectal cancer. His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced that he “passed peacefully this morning,” saying he met his final days with “courage, faith, and grace,” and asked for privacy for their family in an Instagram post titled “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning.”

Van Der Beek revealed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer, speaking openly about chemotherapy, surgery and the toll treatment took on his body and career. Obituaries note his breakout as the earnest aspiring filmmaker on Dawson’s Creek, his cult‑favorite turn as quarterback Mox in Varsity Blues, and later TV work on shows like Don’t Trust the B‑‑‑ in Apartment 23 and Dancing with the Stars, alongside tributes from co‑stars and friends remembering him as generous, funny and deeply committed to his family off camera.

Tributes have poured in from former co‑stars and friends, turning social media into a rolling memorial for the actor. Dawson’s Creek cast members including Katie Holmes and Mary‑Margaret Humes have shared memories of a “beloved” scene partner and “gracious warrior,” while peers like Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Garner and Lance Bass have posted clips and photos describing him as one of the “good guys” whose kindness and love for his family were impossible to miss.

Public‑health experts say his death is also drawing fresh attention to rising colorectal cancer rates in younger adults and to the importance of not dismissing early symptoms—another part of the legacy fans and doctors hope people take from his final, candid posts about illness and mortality.