A rep for the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office in Texas says … it was reported to them at 6:44 AM. No cause of death was given.
James’ wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, posted about his passing shortly after we broke the news … writing in a shared Instagram post her husband “met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.” She asked for privacy for their family at this time.
The actor revealed he was battling stage 3 colorectal cancer in late 2024 … telling People he felt optimistic despite the difficult diagnosis.
Van Der Beek tried to do some good to help others who were facing similar battles just weeks after revealing his diagnosis … starring in a two-hour special of “The Real Full Monty” in December 2024 to raise awareness for prostate, testicular, and colorectal cancer testing and research.
DECEMBER 2024
ABC
Van Der Beek got emotional while discussing his cancer battle on “Good Morning America” in 2024 … especially when he mentioned everything his wife had done for him since he’d been diagnosed.
He was supposed to join his fellow “Dawson’s Creek” castmates in September, but he was forced to drop out of the reunion for health reasons. He ended up making a surprise virtual appearance … introducing Lin-Manuel Miranda, who read lines in his place.
Van Der Beek didn’t sulk in his last few months of life either … he even said cancer was the best thing that had ever happened to him in December 2025 — because it encouraged him to live a healthy, more religious life.
James rose to prominence in the late 1990s as the titular character in ‘Dawson’s’ … though he later gained recognition for his roles in “Scary Movie,” “Varsity Blues,” and “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.”
He also regularly grabbed recurring roles on many of the most popular shows of the last two decades … like “How I Met Your Mother,” “One Tree Hill,” and “Pose.”
JANUARY 2020
TMZ.com
We last caught up with Van Der Beek outside the famous Egyptian Theatre in Park City, Utah at Sundance 2020 … where we talked snowboarding and charity work with the veteran actor.
James is survived by Kimberley and their six children: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.
Shutterstock
He was 48.
RIP
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