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James Van Der Beek, ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Actor, Dead at 48 After Cancer Battle
James Van Der Beek didn't want to wait to live his life to the fullest.
The actor, beloved for his portrayal of Dawson's Creek's titular character, died Feb. 11 after battling colorectal cancer. He was 48.
The Varsity Blues star is survived by his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their kids Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and 4-year-old Jeremiah.
"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning," a statement posted to James and Kimberly's Instagram accounts confirmed. "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," the message continued. "Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend."
Throughout his years-long health journey, James was supported by his family and friends, including Dawson's Creek costars Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams, who sent their love when he was forced to miss the cast's reunion in September.
"I will never find the words for what these three beautiful humans mean to me," Katie wrote on Instagram at the time. "For our shared journey. For our everlasting bond. James, Josh, Michelle… from April 1997—I love you."
"James, you got this. We got you," she added. "To everyone who supported us from the beginning and who continue to support James and his beautiful family, we thank you."
And James sent thanks right back. "Love you! Thank you for being you," he commented, while Kimberly wrote, "You all are a magical, incredible bunch. Thank you for the love and check-in's for our guy."
Instagram / James Van Der Beek
James, a Connecticut native, got his acting start as a teenager in the 1993 off-Broadway production of Finding the Sun. That same year, he booked a role in the TV show Clarissa Explains It All and later appeared in three episodes of As the World Turns before landing his breakout role in Dawson's Creek, which ran for six seasons from 1998 to 2003.
Frank Ockenfels/Warner Bros Tv/Kobal
After his time as Dawson Leery came to an end, James booked memorable parts in One Tree Hill, How I Met Your Mother and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. However, fatherhood became his most important role when he and Kimberly welcomed their first child, daughter Olivia, in Sept. 2010.
Olivia's arrival came one month after the couple officially said, "I do."
James—previously married to actress Heather McComb from 2003 to 2009—recalled in an August Instagram post, "15 years ago today, this woman agreed to be my bride. @vanderkimberly you are the most extraordinary human I’ve ever met."
As James' family, friends and fans continue to mourn his passing, open up your morning light and look back at his life in photos.
New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
1995
Angus
Lisa Rose/ZUMA Wire
1997
Frank Ockenfels/Warner Bros Tv/Kobal
1998
Dawson's Creek
Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
1998
Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank
1998
Marc Kayne/Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock
1998
E J Camp/Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
1999
Varsity Blues
Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
1999
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc
2000
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
2001
Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage
2002
Jim Spellman/WireImage
2002
Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic
2003
J.Sciulli/WireImage
2004
Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images
2005
Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock
2006
Noel Vasquez/Getty Images
2008
Picture Perfect/Shutterstock
2009
Peter Kramer/NBC NewsWire/NBCU Photo Bank
2010
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
2011
20th Century Fox Television/Kobal/Shutterstock
2012
Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
2013
Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
2014
Michael Yarish/CBS via Getty Images
2015
CSI: Cyber
Todd Williamson/Getty Images for Amazon Studios
2016
Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank
2017
2018
Todd Williamson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
2019
Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images
2019
Dancing With the Stars
2020
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