James Van Der Beek: Dawson's Creek Star and Varsity Blues Actor Dies at

James Van Der Beek was an American actor best known for playing the thoughtful, dreamy Dawson Leery on the hit teen drama Dawson's Creek. Born on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, he began acting on stage as a teenager and became one of the defining faces of late-1990s television.

Dawson's Creek ran from 1998 to 2003 and turned Van Der Beek into a star. In 1999 he led the football drama Varsity Blues, which topped the box office for two weeks and won him an MTV Movie Award for Best Male Breakthrough Performance. He later starred in CSI: Cyber (2015-2016), co-created and starred in What Would Diplo Do? and finished fifth on season 28 of Dancing with the Stars.

Van Der Beek married Kimberly Brook in 2010, and the couple had six children. He was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer in August 2023 and died on February 11, 2026, in Austin, Texas, at age 48. Remembered for his humor, his openness about his health and his devotion to his family, he leaves a legacy of performances that defined a generation.

Achievements: Starred as Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek (1998-2003), led Varsity Blues and won an MTV Movie Award (1999), starred in CSI: Cyber (2015-2016), competed on Dancing with the Stars (2019).

Birth: March 8, 1977 - Cheshire, Connecticut.

Profession: Actor.

Interesting Facts: Van Der Beek made his professional debut Off-Broadway at age 16. He left Drew University on an academic scholarship when Dawson's Creek began, then returned in 2024 as its commencement speaker and received an honorary degree.