US actor James Van der Beek has died at the age of 48.Image: keystone
Feb 11, 2026, 8:54 p.mFeb 11, 2026, 9:33 p.m
American actor James David Van Der Beek has died at the age of 48. The cause of death is currently unknown. In November 2024 he made his colon cancer public.
“It’s cancer,” the then 47-year-old wrote on Instagram. Many people around the world hear this diagnosis every year, he continued. “And I am one of them.” The disease had already been discovered in Van Der Beek the year before.
On Wednesday evening, Van Der Beek’s wife Kimberley shared a photo of the father of six on Instagram and confirmed his death. «Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. “He mastered his last days with courage, faith and dignity,” she wrote underneath.
Kimberley Van Der Beek mourns the loss of her husband.
In the cult series “Dawson’s Creek” about the lives of teenagers in the fictional US town of Capeside, James Van Der Beek shone as the film-loving high school student Dawson Leery. His best friend is Joey Potter, played by Katie Holmes. The hit series about growing up, with love worries and teenage fears, captivated an audience of millions over six seasons (1998-2003). (val/sda)