James Van Der Beek's tragic death makes him latest premature passing linked to 1999 film Varsity Blues

James Van Der Beek's death at 48 on Wednesday marked the latest member of the cast of the 1999 football drama Varsity Blues to pass away prematurely, prompting a number of people online to speculate about the tragic trend.

'That movie is definitely cursed,' one user said, another added, 'Varsity Blues cast seems cursed,' and another asked, 'So 3 out of the 5 main cast members from Varsity Blues all passed away under 50?'

The motion picture, which arrived in theaters in January of 1999, cast Van Der Beek as Jon Moxon, a backup high school quarterback in a crazed West Texas football town.

Moxon takes over the starting job after starter Lance Harbor, played by the late Paul Walker, suffers a major injury during a game when offensive lineman Billy Bob (played by the late Ron Lester) collapses on the field due to overwork. 

The storyline of the film focused on Moxon as he butted heads with villainous Coach Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight), who disregarded the health of the players for his own personal gain.

The film, made by MTV, earned more than $54 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo, and also featured Ali Larter, Amy Smart, Scott Caan and Jesse Plemons.

Daily Mail is taking a look at the tragic trend of premature deaths linked with the movie, with Van Der Beek the latest cast member to die at a relatively young age. 

James Van Der Beek

Van Der Beek was cast in the leading role of Moxon in the late 90s, at the height of his Dawson’s Creek fame.

Van Der Beek was lauded as 'convincing and likable' by legendary late film critic Roger Ebert, and received multiple honors for his performance as the unlikely high school hero.

They included a MTV Movie Award Best Breakthrough Male Performance in 1999, and a Teen Choice Award for Breakout Performance that same year.

Van Der Beek, who was father to six children with wife Kimberly, 44, had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023 and went public with the diagnosis the in November of 2024.

That same month, he began selling autographed football jerseys of his character from the film in commemoration of its 25th anniversary, to raise money for costly cancer treatments.

He said on Instagram: 'Excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of #Varsity Blues with a limited edition #4 Moxon jersey - each one personally autographed by me.

'100% of my net proceeds will go to families recovering from the financial burden of cancer (including my own).'

Van Der Beek's wife Kimberly on Wednesday said the actor 'met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,' as fans and friends posted memorials to the beloved actor.

Paul Walker 

Paul Walker in the film played Lance Harbor, the incumbent quarterback who is badly hurt as a result of Coach Kilmer's recklessness in playing him and others through injuries.

Harbor's girlfriend Darcy leaves him after he's hurt and tries to seduce Moxon with a bikini made of whip cream that has become a popular meme decades later.

Walker, who went on to find success in cinema playing the role of Brian O'Conner in the Fast & Furious films, tragically died at the age of 40 in a November 30, 2013 auto accident in Valencia, California with friend Roger Rodas, who was driving at the time.

Van Der Beek paid tribute to his late costar in a series of social media posts in the wake of his shocking passing.

'Thoughts and prayers tonight are with Paul Walker's friends and family, especially his little girl,' Van Der Beek said on social media the day of Walker's death, according to E! News. 'So sad. Very heavy heart tonight.'

He said of his late peer: 'I just remember him as being so effortlessly golden. He had that way about him, that "thing"... #rippaulwalker #TeamPW.

Weeks later, Van Der Beek posted a series of items from the film that brought back emotional memories of Walker.

He wrote in December 2013: #tbt came across this poster in a storage unit and almost cried... @paulwalker.'

Ron Lester 

Ron Lester played the role of offensive lineman Billy Bob in the picture, a character who suffered from concussions and was abused and overworked by his coach, leading to a dramatic scene opposite Van Der Beek in which the actor showed his range.

Lester would go on to spoof the Billy Bob character as Reggie Ray in the 2001 comedy Not Another Teen Movie.

Lester sadly died in June of 2016 as result of kidney and liver failure in a Dallas hospital at the age of 45.

Prior to his passing, the actor had been hospitalized for four months. 

He was with his fiance Jennifer Worland at the time of his death, a month after they announced they had gotten engaged.

Van Der Beek at the time took to Twitter to praise Lester for his kindness and generosity.

'Sad day... #RonLester was a sensitive soul with a huge heart,' Van Der Beek said. 'Everything you loved about Billy Bob was authentically Ron. #RIP bud.'

Van Der Beek noted Lester's dedication on the set of the movie: 'I'll never forget how committed #RonLester was on every take - even when the camera wasn't on him... #giving #rare.'

Joe Pichler 

Joe Pichler played the role of Moxon's younger brother Kyle in the film. The character provided an element of comic relief as a youth who resisted the football-infused culture to start a youth cult instead.

The child actor racked up a number of credits in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

They included films such as Beethoven's 3rd, Beethoven's 4th, The Fan; and TV shows such as Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Touched by an Angel.

Amid his successful career, his mother persuaded him to move back to their home state of Washington in 2002, and graduated from Bremerton High three years after. 

Last month marked the 20th anniversary of the actor's disappearance at the age of 18, as he was last heard from on January 5, 2006.

The most recent documented correspondence Pichler had was a 4 a.m. call to a friend, after which he left his 2005 Toyota Corolla behind in his native Bremerton, Washington.

Pichler had left a two-page note in his vehicle that included poetry and musings about regrets he'd had in his life about not having been a 'stronger brother.'

Detective Robbie Davis told the AP at the time that foul play had not been suspected, and while signs pointed to possible self-harm, there was no evidence to support the notion.

'There’s a good indication that it might have been a suicide,' Davis said, 'but we don’t know that.'

Pichler's siblings told The Kitsap Sun in 2006 that they didn't think their sibling had taken his own life.

Pichler's sister Shawna said, 'He’s probably too embarrassed to come home. In the worst-case scenario, if anything, it’s foul play. But not suicide.'

Said his brother Matthew: 'He left that note saying that he wanted to start over.'

In 2011, five years after Pichler disappeared, his mother Kathy explained her frustration with the sequence of events linked to her son's vanishing, which she criticized local authorities for their handling of.

'Joseph is not a runaway; that's the only thing I know for sure about his disappearance,' Kathy said in an essay on Surviving Parents Coalition. 'After nearly six years, we still have no resolution.

'Since Joseph's disappearance, my focus has been to help raise awareness of our nation's epidemic. I also struggle to get through each day without answers as to the whereabouts of my missing son.'

She added, 'I keep looking for purpose in my son's disappearance. The only way I've found anything positive about my loss is when I help others live this nightmare. I do understand the suffering of other parents. Now I try to work for a better future so that others aren't forced to wear these shoes.'

Pichler is still classified as a missing person.