US-Schauspieler James Van Der Beek ist im Alter von 48 Jahren gestorben.Bild: keystone
11.02.2026, 20:5412.02.2026, 08:15
James Van Der Beek, the actor best known for his role as Dawson Leery on the hit series “Dawson’s Creek,” has died at the age of 48. The news comes after Van Der Beek publicly revealed his battle with colorectal cancer in November 2024.
Van Der Beek rose to prominence portraying the film-obsessed high school student Dawson Leery in the teen drama set in the fictional town of Capeside. The show, which also launched the careers of Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson, captivated audiences for six seasons between 1998 and 2003, becoming a cultural touchstone for a generation navigating adolescence.
His family announced his passing on Wednesday, sharing on Instagram that he “passed peacefully this morning.” A representative for Van Der Beek confirmed the news, adding that he “met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.”
Kimberley Van Der Beek trauert um ihren Mann.
The actor first went public with his diagnosis in November 2024, writing on Instagram, “It’s cancer.” He shared that many people receive this diagnosis each year, adding, “And I’m one of them.” The illness had been discovered the previous year.
Tributes from colleagues quickly poured in. Sarah Michelle Gellar posted a throwback photo with Van Der Beek on Instagram, writing, “I grew up with him. He was one of the solid ones. This is a real loss.” Selma Blair also remembered their early days in Hollywood, saying she always admired and appreciated him. Ashton Kutcher shared on X that he was lucky to have known and grown with the actor.
Sharon Stone, Jennifer Garner, Marlee Matlin, Jenna Dewan, Kellan Lutz, Lin Manuel Miranda, and Paul Walter Hauser were among the many who expressed their grief. Rumer Willis, daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, praised Van Der Beek as a father and husband who treated his family with love and respect, and shared a link to a GoFundMe campaign to support his widow, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children, ranging in age from 4 to 15.
The campaign explained that the expensive cancer treatment had depleted the family’s resources, leaving them facing an “uncertain future” and in necessitate of funds to cover living expenses and their children’s education. Over $700,000 in donations was raised within hours.
Van Der Beek frequently shared updates on his physical and emotional state with his 1.8 million Instagram followers. He spoke openly about his illness to encourage others to take preventative measures and get early screenings, delivering an emotional video message in November 2024. He expressed his belief in healing, stating, “Miracles happen.”
In March 2025, on his 48th birthday, he reflected on “the hardest year” of his life. “I had to look mortality in the face,” Van Der Beek said, adding that the treatment prevented him from being the father, husband, and provider his family needed. However, he also found the courage to ask for support and to accept being loved through the experience.
He often expressed gratitude for his family. After divorcing his first wife, actress Heather McComb, he married producer Kimberly Brook in 2010. Their first daughter arrived a month after the wedding, followed by three more daughters and two sons.
The family was supported by the “Dawson’s Creek” cast in September 2025, when they gathered to support the star at a fundraising event for the organization “Fuck Cancer.” Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, and Joshua Jackson took the stage in New York to perform a live table read of the pilot episode. Van Der Beek was forced to cancel his appearance at the last minute due to an acute viral illness, but he shared a touching video message from his home in Austin, Texas, visibly affected by the cancer.
Van Der Beek first appeared on stage as a student, and he once dreamed of becoming a famous singer on Broadway. He landed his first film roles in “Angus” (1995) and alongside Claire Danes and Jude Law in “I Love You, I Love You Not.”
His breakout role came with “Dawson’s Creek,” which made him a teen idol. He continued to appear in television shows such as “How I Met Your Mother,” “Apartment 23,” and “Friends with Better Lives.” He also found success in film, including his role as a football player in “Varsity Blues,” which earned him the MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Performance in 1999. Other film credits include “Texas Rangers,” “The Rules of Attraction,” “Labor Day,” “Downsizing,” and the 2020 horror-comedy “Disappointing Hair.” (sda/dpa)
