James Van Der Beek<\/a> has died.<\/p>\nThe talented actor, who also memorably played himself on the TV series\u00a0Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23<\/i>, has battled colorectal cancer since 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,\u201d reads a post on the star\u2019s Instagram page. \u201cHe met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Van Der Beek was only 48 years old.<\/p>\n
Van Der Beek remains best known for his\u00a0starring role\u00a0as aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery on the late \u201990s WB teen\u00a0drama\u00a0Dawson\u2019s Creek.\u00a0<\/em>The series, which also starred Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson, became a\u00a0major hit for the network, inspiring numerous copycats and launching the careers of all four of its central stars.<\/p>\nREAD MORE:<\/strong> The Best TV Shows of the Year<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nBorn in March of 1977, Van Der Beek grew up in Connecticut and began working in theater while he was still a teenager. He landed the lead role in\u00a0Dawson\u2019s Creek\u00a0<\/em>while he was still in college. The show wound up airing for six seasons and 128 episodes, with Dawson at the center of all the romantic\u00a0tension between the various characters.<\/p>\nAfter the series ended, Van Der Beek played a fictional version of himself for two seasons on the ABC sitcom\u00a0Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.\u00a0<\/i>On the show, Van Der Beek\u00a0was now a struggling actor post-Dawson\u2019s\u00a0<\/em>who was friends with the title character, played by Krysten Ritter.<\/p>\nVan Der Beek also\u00a0held starring roles on\u00a0CSI: Cyber\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Pose<\/em>, and appeared in movies like\u00a0Varsity Blues<\/em>,\u00a0Texas Rangers<\/em>, and\u00a0The Rules of Attraction.<\/em><\/p>\nHis\u00a0Dawson\u2019s Creek\u00a0<\/em>cast mates reunited last fall for a fundraiser and script reading designed to benefit Van Der Beek and F Cancer. Van Der Beek was originally scheduled to attend but\u00a0had to miss the event due to a stomach\u00a0virus. In a video message played at the event, Van Der Beek said\u00a0\u201cI can\u2019t believe I don\u2019t get to hug my cast mates. I wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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10 Famous Movies With Lost Footage You’ll Never See<\/h2>\n\n
These great movies might be even better with their missing parts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n