News · 11 February 2026
Dawson’s Creek Star James Van Der Beek Dies Aged 48
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Actor James Van Der Beek, best known for playing Dawson Leery in teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died aged 48, his family said. His wife Kimberly said he passed away peacefully after facing stage 3 colorectal cancer, diagnosed in summer 2023. Born in Connecticut in 1977, he began acting at 13 after a sports injury ended his athletic ambitions. He secured his breakthrough role in 1997, leaving university to lead the hit WB series.
Reported by The Independent · How we write briefs