James Van Der Beek Remembered: ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star Dies at 48
James Van Der Beek, the actor who became a familiar face to a generation of television viewers as Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, has died at the age of 48.
Van Der Beek died on February 11, 2026, according to his family. His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, shared that he passed peacefully and asked for privacy as the family grieved. He is survived by Kimberly and their six children.
His career reached a defining moment with Dawson’s Creek, the coming-of-age drama that ran from 1998 through 2003. The role made him a recognizable star and helped establish him as one of the most memorable young actors of the era.
He also made his mark on the big screen, particularly with Varsity Blues, while later taking on roles that showed a very different side of his personality. On Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, he played a fictionalized version of himself, leaning into the public image that had followed him since his Dawson’s Creek years.
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