James Van Der Beek, best known for his iconic roles in Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues, has died at 48 following a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
His passing on Feb. 11 was announced in a statement shared to his official Instagram account. The message described his final days as marked by “courage, faith, and grace,” and asked for privacy as his family grieves.
Van Der Beek revealed his diagnosis publicly in late 2024, though he had been battling cancer since 2023. Despite his illness, he continued working, appearing in projects including Walker, Amazon’s Overcompensating, and competing on The Masked Singer. He had also signed on for the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel series Elle.
Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, in 1977, Van Der Beek rose to fame in 1998 as Dawson Leery, the sensitive, film-obsessed teen at the center of Dawson’s Creek, which ran for six seasons and became a defining show of its era. He later cemented his pop culture legacy as Mox in Varsity Blues, delivering the unforgettable line, “I don’t want your life.”
After his teen heartthrob years, he built a steady career across television, including roles in Criminal Minds, Ugly Betty, One Tree Hill, Law & Order: SVU, and the self-parodying comedy Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23. He also appeared in FX’s Pose and voiced characters for Disney Junior.
In recent interviews, Van Der Beek spoke candidly about how cancer reshaped his perspective. He said the diagnosis deepened his love for storytelling and taught him the importance of self-love and connection.
He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, whom he married in 2010, and their six children.
James Van Der Beek leaves behind a legacy of vulnerability, humor, and performances that defined a generation of television.