The actor who played Dawson Leery is being remembered by the show that made him a star.

Dawson’s Creek pays tribute to James Van Der Beek after star’s death at 48: ‘Helped define a generation’

The actor who played Dawson Leery is being remembered by the show that made him a star.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

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on February 11, 2026 4:46 p.m. ET

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Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes, James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams on 'Dawson's Creek'. Credit:

James Van Der Beek is being honored by the show that made him a star.

Following news of the actor's death at 48 on Wednesday, the official *Dawson's Creek* accounts paid tribute to Van Der Beek on social media, in joint posts with the show's production company, Sony Pictures.

Alongside a photo of a smiling young Van Der Beek in his Dawson era, a caption read: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of James Van Der Beek. His iconic portrayal of Dawson Leery helped define a generation of television for fans and continues to resonate with audiences today. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones."**

Van Der Beek starred on all six seasons of *Dawson's Creek*, which ran from 1998 to 2003 on The WB. The show also starred Katie Holmes as Joey Potter, Joshua Jackson as Pacey Witter, and Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley.**

The *Dawson's* cast remained a tight-knit group after the show's conclusion, and Jackson said that the actors rallied around Van Der Beek after he revealed his colorectal cancer diagnosis in November 2024.

"James is going through something really truly terrible right now," the *Doctor Odyssey* star said on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's *Dinner's on Me* podcast in April 2025. "And I wish I could take credit for this, but I was kind of the absentee partner here, but the girls all got together and were like, 'We need to do something to help this guy out.'"

The *Fringe* star said that the *Dawson's* actors' friendships are among the strongest relationships in their respective lives. "There is, you know, these major moments in life — other than your husband, there's probably no other people in your life that you are that forged to," Jackson said. "'Cause you had to go through good and bad and happy and 'F--- you' and 'Don't talk to me' and 'I love you.'"

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Though Van Der Beek was set to reunite with his costars in September 2025, he ended up missing the *Dawson's Creek* Class Reunion charity event in New York City, which doubled as a fundraiser for F Cancer, due to illness. However, Van Der Beek surprised the audience with a pre-recorded video message lamenting his absence from the event.

"I can't believe I'm not there," the actor said. "I wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight. From the cast to the crew to everybody who's donated time and been so generous."

Van Der Beek said that he missed the event due to "two stomach viruses" that were unrelated to his cancer diagnosis.

The cast of 'Dawson's Creek' in New York City on Sept. 22, 2025.

Cindy Ord/Getty

The actor revealed his battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer in an interview with PEOPLE November 2024. "I've been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family," he said at the time. "There's reason for optimism, and I'm feeling good."

Van Der Beek, who was diagnosed in August 2023, said that he had hoped to announce his diagnosis at a later date in a more in-depth interview with PEOPLE, but was forced to alter his plans after he learned that a tabloid was about to break the news. "Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline," he said. "But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention."

Van Der Beek recalled going "into shock" upon receiving the diagnosis after a colonoscopy. He also said that he was exploring a wide variety of treatment options to fight the cancer, which is typically treated with chemotherapy and surgery. "If you've heard about it, I've probably touched on it," he said of treatment possibilities.

James Van Der Beek in a video appearance at the 'Dawson's Creek' reunion in New York City on Sept. 22, 2025.

Courtesy Breanne Heldman

In November 2025, the actor began auctioning off various ephemera from his Hollywood career to raise money for his treatment. "I've been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them, and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it's clear that the time is now," the actor told PEOPLE. "While I have some nostalgia tugging at me as I part with these items, it feels good to be able to offer them through Propstore's auction to share with those who have supported my work over the years."

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Van Der Beek's wife Kimberly Van Der Beek, with whom he had six children, shared a statement on Instagram announcing the actor's death on Wednesday.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning," she wrote. "He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. 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."

Actress Busy Philpps, who joined the cast of the teen drama in season 5 as Audrey Liddell, also shared a tribute to the actor following his death on Wednesday.

"My heart is deeply hurting for all of us today…every person who knew James and loved him, anyone who loved his work or had the pleasure of meeting him, all of his dear friends and community that surrounded him as he battled this illness, especially his parents and brother and sister," she wrote on Instagram.**

She also directed fans to contribute to a fundraiser to help support the large family Van Der Beek leaves behind: "I am profoundly heartbroken for his incredible wife Kimberly and their six magical children. There is a go fund me for them to help out and i’ll put the link in my stories. 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.

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