Feb. 12 (UPI) — James Van Der Beek’s former co-stars and collaborators took to social media following the Wednesday announcement of his death from colorectal cancer at the age of 48.
The actor’s Dawson’s Creek co-star Katie Holmes posted the screenshot of a heartfelt, handwritten letter to Van Der Beek on Instagram.
Alongside it, she wrote: “I formed some words with a heavy heart. This is a lot to process. I am so grateful to have shared in a piece of James’ journey. He is beloved. Kimberly, we love you and will be here always for you and your beautiful children.”
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Krysten Ritter, who acted opposite Van Der Beek in the sitcom, Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23, shared a gallery of photos of them together on her Instagram Stories.
“Really hard news today,” she wrote. “Beautiful human inside and out. Smart, funny, empathic, kind, talented and just pure magic — I’m so grateful for our friendship and so heartbroken.”
Filmmaker Roger Avery posted on X: “I’ve today learned that my dear friend James Van Der Beek, with whom I worked with on The Rules of Attraction, who has been a pillar of strength to me and my family during the hardest of times, passed away last night.
“I knew he was fighting a terrible battle with courage and compassion, and I’m blessed that we had just recently had a very philosophical and existential phone conversation. I have never known anyone else quite like him, and rarely felt so close a working connection, and my heart is broken at the loss, and my thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children. God bless you, James. I love you forever,” Avery said.
Emma Slater, who was Van Der Beek’s pro partner on Dancing with the Stars in 2019, wrote on Instagram: “Nothing I can write seems ok. All those who had the pleasure of having you in their lives are blessed. Forever changed by your brilliance.
“We got to have these beautiful years sharing life together,” Slater added. “It started with being dance partners and I was beyond excited to be dancing with you, and it continued into the deepest of friendships. You, Kimberly and the kids became family and I found so much purpose in our little community. Watching your love for your family changed my life.”
Kevin Smith, who directed and acted with Van Der Beek in the comedy films Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), wrote on Facebook: “James was already super famous from both #dawsonscreek and #varsityblues yet he opted to risk it all by portraying a cartoonish version of himself beside @biggsjason in the #bluntmanandchronic flick at the center of the flick.
“I told him what a score he was for us and in his sweet, sardonic way, James joked “I’m only doing this because I wanna be in the sequel too.” Little did he know, nearly two decades later, his joke would become a reality,” Smith added.
“Twice in my life, I asked James to come play with me and @jaymewes. And even though he barely knew us, James accepted the invitation on both occasions. … James didn’t just lend us his name and celebrity (portraying a fictional version of himself beside @biggsjason), he came to PLAY, making memorable moments in forgettable films.”
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