American actor James Van Der Beek has died at the age of 48.
He was best known for his lead role in Dawson’s Creek, a television series that gained widespread popularity in the early 2000s.
Source: Everett Collection via NBC News
His death comes after he was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2024.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” a statement posted on his Instagram page read on Thursday (12 Feb) read. “He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.”
Source: @vanderjames on Instagram
The statement added that while there will be more to share about his final wishes in due time, the family is requesting privacy as they grieve his loss.
A GoFundMe page created by family friends to support them during this period has raised over US$1.1 million (around S$1.4 million) from upwards of 21,000 donations.
“The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds,” the page states. “Your generosity will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education.”
Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children.
Source: @vanderjames on Instagram
Van Der Beek publicly announced his cancer diagnosis on Instagram in November 2024.
Source: @vanderjames on Instagram
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and [dialling] in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” he wrote.
He apologised for the sudden announcement, explaining that he had initially planned to share the news privately with people in his life.
“I’d planned on talking about it at length with People magazine at some point soon… to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms,” he said. “But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news.”
According to People, Van Der Beek later auctioned items from his personal collection, including outfits, props, and set pieces from his acting career, with proceeds going towards funding his cancer treatment.
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Featured image adapted from @vanderjames on Instagram and Instagram.