The cast of Dawson’s Creek reacts to the death of James Van Der Beek at the age of 48

The Dawson’s Creek The cast is mourning the death of their co-star James Van Der Beek after his death at the age of 48.

Van Der Beek’s family confirmed on Wednesday, February 11, that the actor, who played the titular character in the hit 1990s teen drama, he had died after a battle with colorectal cancer.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith and grace,” said James’ wife. Kimberly Van Der Beekhe shared in a statement shared via his Instagram at the time. “There is so much to share about his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. We now ask for peaceful privacy as we mourn our beloved husband, father, son, brother and friend.”

Van Der Beek announced his stage III colorectal cancer in November 2024. His Capeside crew, including Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, Kerr Smith and more: They reunited a year later in September 2025 for a one-night stand on Dawson’s Creek to help raise money for F Cancer and Van Der Beek, doing a live reading of the show’s pilot at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City.

“James and I were talking about (a reunion) in April or May. We were doing a convention together out in, I think it was Pittsburgh, and I had mentioned that Michelle wanted to do it and put it together,” Smith, 53. explained exclusively Us Weekly in September 2025 about how the meeting first came together. “So it’s Michelle’s baby, as far as I know. She gets the credit. And I’m glad she does, because it’s going to be fun to see all these guys. And when they cast me, I was like, ‘Of course I’m in.’ This is awesome.” I mean, help, James.

Whereas Van Der Beek eventually was does not attend the eventas he was forced to drop out at the last minute due to a stomach flu, Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in to read Dawson’s paper in his absence. The meeting sold out in 12 minutes, with tickets priced between $199 and $1,200, raising thousands of dollars for the cause.

Dawson’s Creek It ran on The WB from 1998 to 2003 and followed Van Der Beek’s Dawson Leery as he navigated the ups and downs of adolescence alongside his on-and-off love interest Joey Potter (Holmes), best friend Pacey Witter (Jackson) and mysterious new neighbor Jen Lindley (Williams). Smith, Meredith Monroe, busy philips, John Wesley Shipp i Mary-Margaret Humes also starred.

After his death, the cast took to social media to honor life of his longtime friend. Keep scrolling for every heartfelt tribute about Van Der Beek from the Dawson’s Creek distribution:

Katie Holmes

“James, thank you. Sharing space with your imagination is sacred: breathing the same air in the land of imagination and trusting that other people’s hearts are safe in their expression…” Holmes, 47, shared in an emotional handwritten letter posted via Instagram on Thursday, February 12. “These are some of the memories, along with laughter, conversations about life, songs of James Taylor – adventures of a unique youth…”

“Courage. Compassion. Selflessness. Strength. Gratitude for life and the action taken to live life with the integrity that life is art: creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children, a hero’s journey,” she wrote.

“I mourn this loss with a heart that endures the reality of his absence and a deep gratitude for his mark,” the actress said. “To Kimberly and the kids, we are here for you always. And we will always be there to give you love and compassion,” Holmes concluded.

Kerr Smith

“I’m so grateful to have been able to call James a brother,” Kerr Smith, who played Jack McPhee in seasons 2-6 of the show, wrote via Instagram. I will miss him deeply. Rest in peace.”

Chad Michael Murray

“Sending love and light to your beautiful family,” Chad Michael Murraywho played Charlie during Dawson’s Creek’s college years, she wrote in the comments section of James’ Instagram. “James was a giant. We are so sorry for what you are going through. His words, art and humanity inspired us all, inspired us to be better in every way. God bless you guys.🙏.”

busy philips

Philipps, who portrayed Joey’s roommate Audrey Dawson’s Creekshared an emotional tribute via Instagram. “My heart aches deeply for all of us today … all the people who knew and loved James, anyone who loved his work or had the pleasure of knowing him, all his dear friends and the community around him as he battled this disease, especially his parents and brother and sister,” she wrote alongside photos of the couple over the years. “But I am heartbroken for his amazing wife Kimberly and his six magical children. There is funding for them to help me and I will put the link in my stories. James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and will be missed forever and I don’t know what else to say. I am so sad. He was so grateful and our friend for years.❤️.”

Mary-Margaret Humes

Mary-Margaret Humes, who played James’ mother Dawson’s Creekissued a social media tribute honoring her late co-star on February 11.

“I am rarely at a loss for words…today would be the exception. James, my gentle warrior, you fought against all odds with such strength and dignity,” Humes wrote via Instagram. “I will always love and admire you for that. Our last conversations…just a few days ago…are forever sitting softly in my heart for safe keeping. In our extension Dawson’s Creek family of friends, please be respectful of our silences at this time as the beautiful Kimberly and family have asked for peaceful privacy for now.”

‘Dawson’s Creek’

The official Instagram page for Dawson’s Creek issued a tribute following James’ death at the age of 48.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of James Van Der Beek,” he said social networks statement read “His iconic portrayal of Dawson Leery helped define a generation of television for fans and continues to resonate with audiences today. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”

Sasha Alexander

Sasha Alexander she played Pacey Witter’s older sister Gretchen Witter in Dawson’s Creek Season 4, who eventually becomes Dawson’s girlfriend. “Just heartbroken,” she wrote in the comments section of Mary-Margaret Humes’ Instagram post. “I am so sorry for all our losses. James was a beautiful soul and kind human being. Prayers for all his family.”

Alexander later shared an emotional tribute to Van Der Beek, uploading an Instagram post with a carousel of photos of the actor over the years, including those from his time Dawson’s Creek.

“It seems like just yesterday we were sitting under those rosy sunsets in Wilmington, filming during the beautiful Dawson’s Creek years What made Dawson special was the man who played him,” he wrote. “James was a deep, thoughtful soul. He took his work seriously, not out of ego, but out of care. He cared about being a good actor. He cared about doing things right and never took anything for granted. But more than anything, he cared about people. He cared about his family. He cared about presenting himself fully.”

Alexander shared that she was “heartbroken for all who loved her, especially her beautiful family” and added that she was keeping them in her prayers.

“I will always be grateful that I was able to be in his light for a while. That I was able to laugh with him, go to prom with Dawson and grow up with him. He will live on in our memories and in the kindness that he left,” he concluded. “Rest in peace my friend. 🤍”

Hal Ozsan

Hal Ozsan appeared in the last season of Dawson’s Creek as Todd Car, a film director who mentors James Van Der Beek’s character, Dawson.

“This morning my brother, James died in his sleep. I have no words to express the pain. There will be a hole the size of James in my heart for the rest of my life and I will never find it again,” Ozsan wrote via Instagram next to a photo of his former co-star. “James…there’s so much I could say about you, brother, but the truth is you’ve always lived your life first in everything you’ve done. That’s why when the time came, you went to a house you built, surrounded by the love you made. We should all be so lucky. What a life. What a man. What a friend. No notes, brother. No notes.”