James Van Der Beek, the actor best known for his leading role in the hit 90s series Dawson's Creek, has died at the age of 48.
"It is with great sadness that we announce that James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He faced his final days with courage, faith and dignity," a statement posted on Van Der Beek's official Instagram page read on Wednesday.
"There is much to tell about his desires, his love for humanity and the importance of time. Those days will come. For now, we ask for privacy and quiet as we mourn our beloved husband, father, son, brother and friend."
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After news of the actor's passing broke, James Van Der Beek's colleagues from the series "Dawson's Creek" paid tribute to him. Van Der Beek played the role of Dawson Leery for six seasons and became a pop culture icon.
“My heart aches for all of us today… for every person who knew and loved James Van Der Beek, for anyone who appreciated his work, or had the opportunity to meet him,” wrote actress Busy Phillips, who played Dawson’s college friend Audrey Liddell, in an Instagram post.
"James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and we will always miss him."
Actress Mary-Margaret Humes, who played Dawson's mother, described Van Der Beek as a brave man and praised his dignity while facing the disease.
“Our last conversations… just a few days ago… will always remain treasured in my heart,” she wrote on Instagram.
Actor Kerr Smith, who played Jack McPhee, a friend of Dawson's, and Chad Michael Murray, who played Charlie Todd, also remembered Van Der Beek in comments on his family's post announcing the actor's passing.
"I am so grateful to have been able to call James a brother. I will miss him dearly," Smith wrote.
"James was an icon," Murray added. "His words, his art and his humanity inspired us all, inspiring us to be better in every way."
The series' official social media page also honored Van Der Beek, describing his performance as one that helped shape an entire television generation.
In November 2024, Van Der Beek revealed that he had been diagnosed with colon cancer while preparing to appear on the American charity show “The Real Full Monty.” Based on the British film “The Full Monty,” the show featured a group of celebrities stripping on stage to raise awareness for cancer. In November 2025, he announced that he was planning to auction off some of his memorabilia and memorabilia from his film and TV career to help pay for his cancer treatment.
Born in Connecticut in 1977, Van Der Beek was initially more into sports than art, until he suffered a severe concussion in a serious accident while playing football as a child. Doctors advised him to stay away from sports for a year, and he devoted himself to acting, landing the lead role, Danny Zuko, in the musical "Grease."
He rose to fame in 1998 with his role as Dawson Leery, a film-loving teenager who is as obsessed with Steven Spielberg as he is with his neighbor and early love, Joey Potter. That same year, People magazine included him in its list of “The Most Beautiful People in the World.” On the 25th anniversary of the series’ debut, he wrote:
“Twenty-five years ago, my life changed. Not gradually, not day by day… But instantly. It was the culmination of five years of auditions, hundreds of hours on stage, thousands of hours of travel, preparation, dreams, hopes, hearing ‘no’s’ and finding reasons to keep going. But the change happened overnight.”
The pressure of fame was difficult to handle at such a young age. After the success of Dawson's Creek, he stated:
"Walking down the street at that time was very difficult, because an autograph could turn into a whole crowd. I walked with the fear of teenage girls."
Even after the series ended, he continued to be asked for years if there would be a cast reunion. In 2017, he said:
"I felt like I had closed that chapter and I didn't want to reopen it."
However, after the announcement that he had been diagnosed with cancer, a charity reunion was organized with the participation of him and former colleagues Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson. He was unable to attend that day due to health problems, and the role of Dawson was played by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
