- James Van Der Beek has passed away at age 48 after battling cancer.
- The actor was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in August 2024.
- He recently canceled an appearance for a Dawson’s Creek reunion in September 2025.
James Van Der Beek, who gained a dedicated following thanks to his roles on Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, tragically passed away at the age of 48 on Wednesday, February 11.
The actor had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since his diagnosis in August 2024. He shared six children with his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, who announced the news on Instagram.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” Kimberly 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.”
In September 2025, due to illness, James had pulled out of a special Dawson’s Creek Class Reunion event that involved other cast members including Katie Holmes.
“This is the evening I’d been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January,” James wrote, at the time. “So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment.”
A rep for the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office told TMZ that James’s death was reported to them at 6:44 a.m. His exact cause of death has yet to be revealed.
