“Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek has died at the age of 48 following a two-year battle with Stage 3 colorectal cancer.
The death of the beloved actor, who revealed at the end of 2024 that he had been diagnosed with the disease, was revealed by his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, in a heartbreaking social media post on Wednesday.
“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.”
James, who shared six children with his wife, spent much of his time in the wake of his diagnosis undergoing treatment at his family’s sprawling ranch in Austin, TX, having moved to the property from Los Angeles in 2020.
Soon after revealing the news of her husband’s death, Kimberly revealed that her friends had launched a GoFundMe asking for donations to help her family cover the staggering cost of James’ medical bills, admitting that she is currently “working hard to stay in their home.”
“Throughout his illness, the family faced not only emotional challenges but also significant financial strain as they did everything possible to support James and provide for his care,” the page, which lists Kimberly as the beneficiary, reads.
“In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future. The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds.
“They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time. The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead.”
The GoFundMe has thus far raised more than $43,000 out of its $500,000 goal.
At the time of his diagnosis, the actor told People that he had been dealing with his diagnosis “privately” with the support of his loved ones, explaining that he was “feeling good” despite his health struggles.
At the time, he lifted the lid on his cancer fight—while also recalling how he broke the news of his diagnosis to Kimberly and their six children: Olivia, 14, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 3.
“I’m far from an expert, but our approach was just be as honest as possible, as honest to the degree of their understanding, right?” he said during an appearance on the “Today” show.
“Because they know. They can sense that Dad’s having a tough day. They know if Dad’s in pain. They know, and so by not telling them, I think you’re confusing them even more.
“And just allow yourself to be surprised by their resiliency. When you tell them what you’re doing, and you tell them the approach, they can see it and they can feel it, and I think it’s also your journey is their journey.”
At the time, he revealed that he had accepted that cancer would be a part of his life.
“I’m just on the journey,” he said. “It’s a process. It’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life.”
He revealed that making lifestyle changes to his diet and workout routine has become his “full-time” job.
The actor noted that he had been focusing on finding “the beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job.”
The actor encouraged people to get screened, explaining that when he got screened at age 46, he didn’t know medical professionals had changed the recommended screening age to 45.
“I thought I was way ahead of the game. I ate as well as I could. I was healthy. I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. There was no reason in my mind that I should have gotten a positive diagnosis,” he said.
James revealed that he made multiple changes to his health and wellness routine since his diagnosis, including following a keto diet, doing yoga, and adopting a stretching regimen.
At the time, the actor revealed that he was still managing to find time for his on-screen projects—including a role in the upcoming “Legally Blonde” prequel, “Elle.”
“The greatest thing about work is a cancer doesn’t exist between action and cut. It was fun to drop in and just have a blast because it’s such a great cast, a great production, and everybody out there is really talented,” he said.
His update about his cancer journey came eight months after he revealed his initial diagnosis, explaining in an Instagram post that he had originally intended to share the news in an interview with People—until he learned that a tabloid publication was planning to run a story about it.
“There’s no playbook for how to announce these things, but I’d planned on talking about it at length with People magazine at some point soon … to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms,” he wrote in the caption. “But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news.
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I’m in a good place and feeling strong. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready.
“Apologies to all the people in my life who I’d planned on telling myself. Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline. … But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention.
“Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support.”
The actor’s diagnosis came 26 years after he first shot to fame while starring as the titular character in the hit series “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003. James went on to star in a variety of other series, including “Varsity Blues” and “CSI: Cyber.”
He played a fictionalized version of himself in the show “Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23.”
The actor turned his back on the traditional A-lister lifestyle, eschewing the trappings of Los Angeles fame in favor of a quieter life on a ranch in Texas.
The actor and his family moved to their Austin ranch in 2020 to find more “space” and a “connection to nature,” something that he wanted his six children to experience away from the bright lights of Los Angeles.