James Van Der Beek Dies at 48 After Colorectal Cancer Battle | Dawson’s Creek Star Passes Away

James Van Der Beek, the actor best known for his role as Dawson Leery in the 1990s television drama Dawson’s Creek, has died at the age of 48 after a battle with Stage 3 colorectal cancer. His family announced his passing peacefully on Wednesday morning in a statement posted to his Instagram account.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” the statement read. “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. Those days will come. For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

Van Der Beek revealed his diagnosis in November 2024, though he had been undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer since the latter half of 2023. He recently made a surprise appearance at a Dawson’s Creek reunion charity event in New York City in September, having previously withdrawn due to his illness.

While Dawson’s Creek cemented his place in popular culture, Van Der Beek’s career spanned multiple platforms. He appeared in the cult classic film Varsity Blues and later took on a recurring role as FBI special agent Elijah Mundo in the television series CSI: Cyber. More recently, he was set to star in Elle, a prequel series to Legally Blonde, scheduled to premiere in July.

His death comes at a time when diagnoses of colorectal cancer are rising among younger adults. According to a 2026 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in adults under 50 in the United States. While the disease remains relatively uncommon in this age group – accounting for approximately 13% of all colorectal cancer diagnoses – the number of cases in people under 50 has doubled since the 1990s. Notably, while cancer death rates have generally decreased in older adults over the past decade, the death rate from colorectal cancer has increased by 1% each year in those under 55 since the mid-2000s.

Van Der Beek himself spoke about the challenges of navigating a cancer diagnosis, particularly the feeling of losing core aspects of his identity. “All these beautiful things that I love, and I used to define myself as – a father, a provider, a husband – all that got taken away, or at least paused,” he shared in an interview. “I had to sit there and say, ‘Well, what am I?’ And it was, ‘I’m still worthy of love.’”

Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek began acting at the age of 13 after a concussion sidelined him from playing football. He found his passion on stage, landing the role of Danny Zuko in his school’s production of Grease. He continued to pursue theatre, earning a scholarship to Drew University in New Jersey before leaving to star in Dawson’s Creek. He later returned to Drew University to receive an honorary degree in 2024 for his commitment to the institution.

Reflecting on the impact of Dawson’s Creek, Van Der Beek once acknowledged its cultural significance. “It’s tough to compete with something that was the cultural phenomenon that Dawson’s Creek was,” he said in a 2013 interview. “It ran for so long. That’s a lot of hours playing one character in front of people. So it’s natural that they associate you with that.”

Beyond his television and film work, Van Der Beek hosted Saturday Night Live during the run of Dawson’s Creek, with Everlast as the musical guest. He is remembered for his versatility and willingness to take on diverse roles.

James Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by friends of the family to support Kimberly and their children as they navigate this difficult time, addressing the financial strain caused by medical expenses and the uncertainty of the future.