James Van Der Beek, the star of the 1990s teen drama Dawson's Creek, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 48 after a courageous battle with cancer, as announced by his wife on social media.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He faced his final days with bravery, faith, and dignity," wrote his wife Kimberly on Instagram.

Fans and fellow actors paid tribute on social media, highlighting the impact he had on their lives and careers.

"While James’ legacy will always endure, this loss is immense, not just for your family but for the world," shared Sarah Michelle Gellar on social media. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to raise $500,000 to support Van Der Beek's widow and six children, surpassing $200,000 within an hour of its launch.

In 2024, Van Der Beek revealed his colorectal cancer diagnosis, which was detected during a routine colonoscopy the previous year.

"I've been dealing with this privately until now, undergoing treatment and focusing on my overall health more than ever," he posted on social media that year.

Van Der Beek continued to share his cancer battle on social media until his passing.

A native of Connecticut, Van Der Beek rose to fame in the 1990s as Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek, starring alongside Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, and Katie Holmes. The series revolved around the love triangle involving Leery, an aspiring filmmaker and romantic, and his two best friends Joey Potter (Holmes) and Pacey Witter (Jackson).

"These characters speak very candidly about all the issues that 15-year-olds face every day—relationships, the opposite sex, parents, school, dreams, and ambitions," Van Der Beek mentioned on Live with Regis and Kathie Lee in 1998, when the show premiered.

He continued in the role, becoming a heartthrob of the early 2000s, until the show concluded in 2003.

Aside from Dawson's Creek, Van Der Beek appeared in over 60 movies and TV shows. Noteworthy film roles include quarterback Mox in Varsity Blues in 1999 and drug dealer Sean Bateman in The Rules of Attraction in 2002.

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