James Van Der Beek, beloved 'Dawson's Creek' star, dead at 48

James Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11, 2026.

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• "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek has died at 48.
• He gained fame after playing the lead of the late-1990s series "Dawson's Creek."
• In 2023, he learned he had stage 3 colon cancer, and publicly announced his diagnosis in 2024.

James Van Der Beek has died at 48. His wife, Kimberly, shared the news on her Instagram.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek...