James Van Der Beek: Dawson's Creek Star Dies at 48

James Van Der Beek was an American actor best known for playing Dawson Leery on the teen drama Dawson's Creek. Born on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, he made his Off-Broadway debut at 16.

Van Der Beek starred in Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2003 and in the football film Varsity Blues (1999). He appeared in The Rules of Attraction (2002), Labor Day (2013) and the series Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and CSI: Cyber. He competed on Dancing with the Stars and The Masked Singer and voiced a character on Vampirina.

Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer in 2023 and made the diagnosis public in November 2024. He married Kimberly Brook in 2010, and they had six children. He moved with his family to Texas in 2020. He died in Austin, Texas, on February 11, 2026, at age 48.

Achievements: Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek (1998-2003), Varsity Blues (1999), MTV Movie Award for Best Male Breakthrough Performance.

Birth: March 8, 1977 - Cheshire, Connecticut.

Profession: Actor.

Interesting Facts: Drew University gave him an honorary degree in 2024. He auctioned memorabilia in 2025 to help cover his treatment costs.