Feb. 11 (UPI) — Actor James Van Der Beek, who rose to fame with his roles in Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, has died after a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. He was 48.
Van Der Beek’s family confirmed his death in a post on his Instagram page.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. 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,” the post said.
Van Der Beek revealed his diagnosis with stage 3 colorectal cancer in a November 2024 interview with People.
“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he said at the time. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
Van Der Beek rose to fame playing Dawson Leery in the WB series Dawson’s Creek, which ran from 1998 to 2003. He made the jump to the big screen with a lead role in 1999 film Varsity Blues.
His most recent roles include the comedy series Overcompensating and the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel series Elle.
Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children: Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, Joshua and Jeremiah.
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