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James Van Der Beek, actor best known for his role in the 1990 TV show Dawson’s Creekdied. He was 48 years old.
Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in November 2024. Since then, he’s chronicled his life with cancer and often talked about his family life on Instagram.
A statement posted on the actor’s official Instagram page on Wednesday said he had passed away earlier that day.
“He met his last days with courage, faith and grace.”
A former theater kid, Van Der Beek would later star in film College blues and on TV in CSI: Cyber as FBI Special Agent Elijah Mundo, but was forever associated with him Dawson’s Creekwhich ran from 1998 to 2003 on the WB.
The series followed a group of high school friends as they learned about falling in love, forming real friendships and finding a foothold in life.
Van Der Beek, then 20, played 15-year-old Dawson Leery, who aspired to be a Steven Spielberg-quality director. Dawson’s Creekwhich used Paula Cole’s I don’t want to wait as its moody theme song, it helped define WB as a haven for teenagers and young adults who connected with its hyper-articulate dialogue and frank talk about sexuality.
The series has become famous names such as Van Der Beek, Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams.
