James Van Der Beer Dies Following Cancer Battle
Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek passed away on the morning of February 11th following a battle with cancer. He was 48 years old. James’ wife Kimberly shared the tragic news in a joint Instagram post. She wrote:
“He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
James was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in August 2023 and went public with the diagnosis in November 2024. At the time, he told PEOPLE:
“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family.”
About James Van Der Beek’s Life & Legacy
James was a father of six. He married Kimberly in 2010. Since then, they welcomed daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah. The family regularly shares glimpses of their life online, and James calls fatherhood “the most treasured honor of my life.”
He is best known for his leading role as Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, which he landed after dropping out of college. He starred alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams for six seasons from 1998 to 2003.
Other noteworthy roles include Mox in Varsity Blues, Sean Bateman in The Rules of Attraction, and more. He won various awards throughout his career, including MTV Movie Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and Young Hollywood Awards.
His final public appearance was in December 2025, for an interview with Today’s Craig Melvin, in which he reflected on his cancer journey. At the time, he said he was feeling “much better” than he had been in previous months.
James Van Der Beek Once Appeared On Dancing With The Stars
The Connecticut native competed on Season 28 of Dancing with the Stars alongside professional dance partner Emma Slater. The pair ultimately finished in fifth place. Emma shared her emotional reaction to the news and wrote in the comments:
“I’m so devastated. He is and will always be family to me ❤️ love you so much, James. The man that you are, you can be proud of. So grateful that I got to be there to say goodbye to you.”
Relive the dance which James described as the “toughest dance to learn… most fun to perform” from his time on DWTS in the video below!