James Van Der Beek, renowned for his portrayal in the 1990s series Dawson’s Creek, has passed away at the age of 48.
The actor’s publicist confirmed the news of his death in an email to CBC News.
In November 2024, Van Der Beek revealed his diagnosis of Stage 3 colorectal cancer. Since that announcement, he had been documenting his journey with the illness and sharing insights about his family life on Instagram.
On Wednesday, a message shared on his official Instagram account stated that he had died earlier that day.
“He faced his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share about his wishes, love for humanity, and the significance of time. Those details will be revealed in time,” the family statement posted on Instagram read.
“For now, we kindly request privacy as we mourn our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
A former theater enthusiast, Van Der Beek later starred in the film Varsity Blues and appeared on television in CSI: Cyber as FBI Special Agent Elijah Mundo, though he remained forever linked to Dawson’s Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003 on the WB network.
The series depicted a group of high school friends navigating love, friendship, and life’s challenges.
At just 20 years old, Van Der Beek played the role of 15-year-old Dawson Leery, who dreamed of becoming a director akin to Steven Spielberg. With Paula Cole’s I Don’t Want To Wait serving as its iconic theme song, Dawson’s Creek became an emblematic show for teens and young adults, resonating with its articulate dialogue and candid discussions about sexuality.
The series catapulted Van Der Beek, along with Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes, and Michelle Williams, to fame.
Van Der Beek, back left, with the cast of Dawson’s Creek: Middle row: Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, Meredith Monroe and Kerr Smith. Front: Katie Holmes. (2000 Columbia/TriStar International Television/Getty Images)
The show generated controversy when one of the teenage characters engaged in a scandalous relationship with a teacher twice their age, and when Holmes’s character climbed through Dawson’s window for a cozy moment together.
Although Van Der Beek sometimes found it challenging to break free from the show’s legacy, he eventually embraced humor about himself, featuring in Funny Or Die sketches and appearing in Kesha’s music video for Blow, which included a whimsical laser battle in a nightclub.
“It’s hard to compete with something that became such a cultural phenomenon like Dawson’s Creek,” he shared with Vulture in 2013. “It lasted for so long. That’s a considerable amount of time portraying one character. Thus, it’s understandable that people associate you with that role.”
Over a decade after the show concluded, a moment from the end of its third season became a widely shared GIF, depicting Dawson in tears as he witnessed his soulmate beginning a romance with his best friend.
“It wasn’t part of the script for me to cry; it was one of those magical moments that just unfolded during the scene,” he recounted to Vanity Fair.
Van Der Beek with two of his children at Operation Smile’s 11th annual Celebrity Ski & Smile Challenge in 2023. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images for Operation Smile)
During his time on Dawson’s Creek, Van Der Beek also hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live and secured a significant role in Varsity Blues, portraying a backup quarterback who rises to the occasion when the starter is injured.
His character, Mox, unexpectedly isn’t a football enthusiast; instead, he enjoys reading Kurt Vonnegut and aspires to pursue a college education that would liberate him from the jock mentality prevalent in his Texas hometown. “I don’t want your life,” he yells at one point.
Critic Roger Ebert praised him as “convincing and likable.”
Life after Dawson
Following Dawson’s Creek, he co-created and portrayed Wesley “Diplo” Pentz, a dull yet charming music producer in the mockumentary satire What Would Diplo Do? on Viceland.
In 2019, he reached the semifinals of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and took on the role of a balding, out-of-shape ex-boyfriend on How I Met Your Mother.
“The more you poke fun at yourself and avoid seeking respect, the more people tend to respect you,” he expressed to Vanity Fair in 2011. “I’ve always been a clown trapped in a leading man’s body.”
Between 2003 and 2013, he made guest appearances in series such as Criminal Minds and One Tree Hill. He portrayed himself with an exaggerated intensity in the ABC drama Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, along with the short-lived spinoff CSI: Cyber and CBS’s Friends With Better Lives.
Additionally, he featured in several films, including Kevin Smith’s 2001 comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and its 2019 sequel, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. He also acted in the Bret Easton Ellis adaptation of The Rules of Attraction in 2002 alongside Jessica Biel and Kate Bosworth.
In 2025, he was revealed as Griffin on The Masked Singer, after performing covers of John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads and I Had Some Help by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen.
Theatre kid
Hailing from Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek began his acting career at the age of 13 after a concussion from football sidelined him for a year. He secured the role of Danny Zuko in his school’s rendition of Grease.
He remained devoted to theater and earned a scholarship to Drew University in New Jersey, but left early when he was cast in Dawson’s Creek. In 2024, he returned to the university to receive an honorary degree for his “selfless service and exemplary commitment to the mission of Drew,” according to a statement from the institution.
Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.