James Van Der Beek, the soft-eyed actor whose boyish beauty and earnestness landed him the main function in ’90s teen drama “Dawson’s Creek” and catapulted him to stardom, has died. He was 48.
The actor died Wednesday, in line with a press release posted to his verified Instagram.
“He met his ultimate days with braveness, religion, and style,” the assertion stated. “There’s a lot to share relating to his needs, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. These days will come. For now we ask for peaceable privateness as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and buddy.”
His consultant Whitney Tancred additionally confirmed the information when reached by CNN.
Van Der Beek introduced in November 2024 that he was dwelling with stage 3 colorectal most cancers.
Following his demise, Van Der Beek’s spouse Kimberly, with whom he shared six youngsters, shared a hyperlink by way of social media to a GoFundMe marketing campaign, asking for help as a result of Van Der Beek’s sickness left the household in “monetary pressure.”
“The prices of James’s medical care and the prolonged struggle towards most cancers have left the household out of funds,” the marketing campaign web page states. “They’re working onerous to remain of their residence and to make sure the youngsters can proceed their schooling and keep some stability throughout this extremely tough time.”
Born in 1977 in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek was the eldest of three youngsters. He caught the appearing bug in center faculty, and when he was 15, he advised his mom he needed to audition professionally.
“She did not maintain me again,” he as soon as recounted. “She took me to NYC, and he or she walked me by way of it.”
Quickly after, he was solid in an off-Broadway play, “Discovering the Solar,” and later gained a tutorial scholarship to Drew College in New Jersey.

