Obit - James Van Der Beek

FILE - James Van Der Beek attends the premiere of "The Words" in Los Angeles on Sept. 4, 2012.

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James Van Der Beek, the 'Dawson's Creek' star who later mocked his own hunky persona, has died at 48

James Van Der Beek, the 'Dawson's Creek' star who later mocked his own hunky persona, has died at 48

James Van Der Beek, best known as Dawson on “Dawson’s Creek,” has died at 48, according to a statement from his family posted on Instagram. The post on Wednesday says he died earlier that day. Van Der Beek shared in 2024 that he was receiving treatment for colorectal cancer. He was best known for “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003. He also appeared in “Varsity Blues” and later leaned into jokes about his own image. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children.