James Van Der Beek’s Elle Costar Details His Final Performance

At one point, Raphael shared Van Der Beek even brought his brood to set, adding, “It was so much fun to have them there and for them to see him work.”

In fact, Raphael joked that seeing Van Der Beek’s dedication to his family caused tension between her and husband Paul Scheer. As she put it, “I remember calling my own husband and being like, ‘You do not speak about me like this buddy.’”

“He was just so enamored with Kimberly,” Raphael continued. “That was really my big take away.”

And Raphael knows Van Der Beek’s portrayal of Elle’s school superintendent Dean Wilson in the Prime Video series—which premieres July 1—will be a hit.

“I know his fans will be so excited to see him,” she added, “and I think he gives a beautiful performance in the show.”

While Van Der Beek gave everything to his craft in the toughest moments of his cancer battle, the actor also emphasized he didn’t put anything above raising his six kids alongside his wife in Texas. 

"With this many beautiful little humans around and an amazing wife, it's kind of about picking the things that are on the plate,” Van Der Beek told E! News in a 2022 interview, “and then just making human interaction out of it.”

As he noted of how he was feeling in his final years, “I really feel grounded.”

For a look back at Van Der Beek’s life in photos, keep reading…