American actor James Van Der Beek has died, as revealed in a note shared by his wife Kimberly on Thursday. Taking to his Instagram account, he shared that the star breathed his last peacefully with the support of his family. He has asked for privacy to mourn the loss. He had been suffering from colorectal cancer since August 2023, as it was announced in November 2024, the stage 3 diagnosis was shared with the world. He was 48 years old.
James Van Der Beek is no more, wife Kimberly announced
Kimberly Van Der Beek wrote, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He approached his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is so much to share about his wishes, love of humanity, and the sanctity of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we mourn our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” wrote the actor in a joint post on his social media account. With photo.
James Van Der Beek’s first television role was in The WB series Dawson’s Creek, where he played the title character Dawson Leary, which became his breakout role. After being diagnosed with cancer, the actor is said to have resorted to selling his memorabilia from the drama to cover the costs. Now, his family has set up a charity page to be able to continue living in their current home and raise funds for the children’s education.
The actor’s co-stars paid tribute to him after his death, with Busy Phillips writing, “James Van Der Beek was one of the billions and he will always be missed and I don’t know what else to say. I’m so heartbroken. He was my friend and I loved him and I’m so grateful for our friendship all these years.”
Mary-Margaret Humes, who played Van der Beek’s mother on the show, wrote, “I’m hardly at a loss for words… Today will be the exception. James, my kind warrior, you fought a tough battle against all odds with such quiet strength and dignity. I will always love and admire you for that. Our last conversation… just a few days ago… sits quietly in my heart forever for safekeeping.” He advised fans of the show to be careful in the coming days.
Other mourners included his Don’t Trust the B—- co-star in Apartment 23, Krysten Ritter, who called him, “Smart, funny, empathetic, kind, talented, and absolutely pure magic. I’m so grateful for our friendship and so saddened. All my love goes out to his amazing wife Kimberly and their children.”
The actor is survived by his wife and their six children, Olivia (15), Joshua (13), Annabel (12), Emilia (9), Gwendolyn (6) and Jeremiah (4). The couple are believed to have married in August 2010 following his divorce from his first wife, actress Heather McComb, whom he was with from 2003 to 2009.
