'Dawson's Creek' cast honor James Van Der Beek after his death
The cast of Dawson's Creek came together to honor the memory of their late co-star, James Van Der Beek, after he passed away at the age of 48 after his battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
The news of his death was announced by his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, on his Instagram account.
"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace," the statement read.
"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," she added.
James has six kids with Kimberly: daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, and Gwendolyn, 7, and sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, 4.
Following his passing, many of his co-stars in the teen drama series have taken the time to pay tribute to the actor, sharing heartfelt memories of their time.
On Instagram, Katie Holmes, who played his best friend and love interest Joey in the series, penned a handwritten letter to James expressing her gratitude.
"James, thank you. To share space with your imagination is sacred—breathing the same air in the land of make believe and trusting that each other’s hearts are safe in their expression…" she wrote.
"These are some of the memories, along with laughter, conversations about life, James Taylor songs — adventures of a unique youth," she continued. "Bravery. Compassion. Selflessness. Strength. An appreciation for life and the action taken to live life with the integrity that life is art — creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children — the journey of a hero."
Katie ended her letter by telling Kimberly and her kids that they "will always be there to shower you with love and compassion."
Fellow co-star Busy Philipps said that her heart is "deeply hurting" after James' death.
"I am profoundly heartbroken for his incredible wife Kimberly and their six magical children," she wrote. "James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and he will be forever missed and I don’t know what else to say. I am just so, so sad. He was my friend and I loved him and I’m so grateful for our friendship all these years."
Mary-Margaret Humes, who played James' mother in the series, admitted that she is "at a loss for words" after learning the news.
"James, my gracious warrior, you fought a hard battle against all odds with such quiet strength and dignity. I will always love and admire you for that. Our last conversations … merely a few days ago … are forever sitting softly in my heart for safe keeping," she wrote in an Instagram post.
"To our extended Dawson’s Creek family of friends … please be respectful of our silences at the moment as beautiful Kimberly and family have asked for peaceful privacy for now," she added.
Other celebrities who paid tribute to him include Reese Witherspoon, who described the late actor as an "extraordinary, talented man who also showed great kindness and grace in every action, and actress Sarah Michelle Gellar who called him "one of the good guys."
Melissa Joan Hart remembered her "first on-screen kiss" with James and a run-in with him two years ago at a singing game show, "where he sang a song with his daughter, encouraging her like a good dad does."
Taylor Lautner, Jennifer Garner, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Zachary Levi, and more also paid tribute.
James first opened up about his cancer diagnosis in 2024, sharing that he has been "privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family."
Even with cancer, he continued to work in film and TV series like Walker and Sidelined: The QB and Me.
Dawson's Creek ran for a total of six seasons from 1998 to 2003. It centers on the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college.
Last September 2025, the cast delighted fans with their long-awaited reunion at the Richard Rodgers Theater to read the 1998 pilot episode, which follows film addict Dawson as he meets a new neighbor named Jen while making an amateur movie with his friends.
James was unable to attend but he later surprised fans when he gave a message through a pre-recorded video that was projected onstage. His wife and their kids joined the cast and sang the show's theme song, I Don't Wanna Wait by Paula Cole.