Obit - James Van Der Beek

FILE - James Van Der Beek arrives at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, 2019.

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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 the titular character 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. Besides “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003, he also appeared in “Varsity Blues” and later leaned into jokes mocking his own hunky persona. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children.