James Van Der Beek, the actor who became a late-’90s television fixture as Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, has died at 48 following a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, confirmed his death Wednesday, sharing that he spent his final days surrounded by family and met the end of his life with “courage, faith, and grace.” The couple shared six children.
Van Der Beek disclosed his diagnosis publicly in November 2024, more than a year after learning he had cancer. The disease was discovered during a routine colonoscopy in August 2023. At the time, he said he had kept the news private to focus on treatment and time with his loved ones.
He later described the experience as a “life redirect,” explaining that the illness reshaped his priorities and deepened his gratitude.
A Family at the Center of His World
Van Der Beek was married twice. He wed actress Heather McComb in 2003; their divorce was finalized in 2010. Later that year, he married business consultant Kimberly Brook in a ceremony held in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Together, they raised six children, four daughters and two sons, and frequently spoke about the realities of parenting a large household. The couple also faced loss, with Brook experiencing multiple miscarriages, including two in the second trimester.
In 2020, the family relocated from Los Angeles to Texas. Van Der Beek framed the move as a reset, often sharing reflections about fatherhood and calling it the most meaningful role of his life.
When a Dawson’s Creek reunion took place in 2024, he was unable to attend due to his health. Instead, he sent a video message to fans, thanking them for decades of support.
From Teen Idol to Self-Aware Scene-Stealer
Born in Connecticut in 1977, Van Der Beek began acting as a teenager and made his off-Broadway debut at 16. His breakout came in 1998 when Dawson’s Creek premiered on The WB. The series ran for six seasons and helped define a generation of network dramas.
On the big screen, he starred in Varsity Blues (1999), delivering a performance that became part of pop culture shorthand for teen rebellion. He later appeared in Texas Rangers (2001) and The Rules of Attraction (2002), followed by a turn in the political thriller Formosa Betrayed (2009).
Rather than resist his early fame, Van Der Beek leaned into it. He earned renewed attention playing an exaggerated version of himself on ABC’s Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, showcasing sharp comedic timing. In 2017, he co-created and starred in the mockumentary series What Would Diplo Do?, another project built on self-parody.
His television résumé also included roles on CSI: Cyber and FX’s Pose. He competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2019 and later appeared on The Masked Singer in 2025. Most recently, he featured in the comedy Overcompensating and had been attached to Elle, a Legally Blonde prequel series.
Across genres, Van Der Beek built a career that extended well beyond his breakout role. For many fans, he will always be the aspiring filmmaker from Capeside. For others, he became something rarer in Hollywood: a former teen star who understood the joke and told it himself.
He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children.
