“Our beloved James passed away peacefully this morning. He lived his final days with courage, faith and dignity,” the family said in a statement on networks. “For now, we ask for peace and privacy to mourn the loss of our beloved husband, father, son, brother and friend,” the statement continued.
The actor is most famous for his role as Dawson Leery in the cult series Dawson’s World (1998–2003). The series about coming of age and friendship left a deep mark on popular culture, and Van Der Beek was forever associated with the character of a dreamer and a young director trying to find his place in the world.
Van Der Beek announced in 2024 that he was being treated for colon cancer. In September, he surprisingly appeared in a video at a charity event on the theme of the series Dawson’s World.
Van der Beek also starred in, for example, the film Varsity Blues: High School Football, the comedy Scary Movie: The Scary Beater, the drama Laws of Attraction and appeared in series such as Crime Squad: Cybernetics and How I Met Your Mother.
date:2026-02-11 20:22:00
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