The cast of ‘Dawson’s Creek’ has reacted to James Van Der Beek’s tragic death at the age of 48 after a years-long battle with colorectal cancer.
Van Der Beek played the titular Dawson Leery for all six seasons of the iconic WB teen drama from 1998 to 2003.
Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson, both 47, starred as Dawson’s best friends Joey Potter and Pacey Witter, respectively. Meanwhile, Michelle Williams appeared on the iconic series as Dawson’s neighbor, Jen Lindley.
Mary-Margaret Humes, who played Van Der Beek’s mother on “Dawson’s Creek,” shared an Instagram tribute to her late co-star on Wednesday.
“I’m rarely at a loss for words…Today is an exception. My merciful warrior, James, you fought a tough battle against all odds with such quiet strength and dignity,” she wrote alongside two photos of them together. “I will always love and respect you for that. Our last conversation, just a few days ago, will forever be held quietly in my heart. To our Dawson’s Creek friends and family, please respect our silence at this time as Beautiful Kimberly and her family request peaceful privacy at this time.”
Kerr Smith, who played Jack McPhee from seasons 2 to 6, posted on Instagram: “I’m so grateful to call James my brother. I’ll miss him so much. Rest in peace.”
Busy Philipps, who joined Dawson’s Creek as Audrey Liddell at the beginning of Season 5 in 2001, also paid tribute to her co-star on social media in the wake of the sad death.
In addition to “Dawson’s Creek,” the two also worked together again on the season 2 premiere of “Don’t Trust the B—in Apartment 23,” which aired in 2012.
“All of our hearts are deeply hurt today… everyone who knew and loved James,” Phillips, 46, wrote on Instagram. “But my heart goes out to his wonderful wife, Kimberly, and their six magical children.”
“James Van Der Beek was one in a billion. He will be forever missed. I don’t know what else to say. So sad,” she continued, along with three tender snapshots of her and Van Der Beek. “He was my friend and I loved him. I am so grateful for our friendship over the years.”
Van der Beek’s wife of 15 years, Kimberly, announced the beloved actor’s death in a joint statement on Instagram on Wednesday.
She wrote that the “Dawson’s Creek” alum, who had six children, “passed away peacefully” Wednesday morning and “met his final days with courage, faith and grace.”
“There is so much to share about his wishes, his love for humanity, the sacredness of time,” Kimberly said. “That day will come. For now, we seek peace and privacy as we grieve our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
Chad Michael Murray, who played Charlie Todd in season 5, episode 12, commented under the Instagram post, saying, “Sending love and light to your beautiful family. James was a giant and we are so sorry for what you are going through. His words, art, and humanity were an inspiration to all of us. He inspired us to be better in every way. God bless you all.”
The Varsity Blues star had been quietly battling stage 3 cancer since August 2023, but did not publicly announce the news until November 2024.
“I have colorectal cancer. I am dealing with this diagnosis personally and, with the support of my amazing family, I am working toward a resolution,” he said in a statement to People magazine at the time.
“There is reason for optimism and I feel good,” Van der Beek added. Van der Beek later decided to auction off his personal Dawson’s Creek memorabilia to raise money for cancer treatment.
The “Labor Day” star continued to be vocal about his battle with colorectal cancer in the months before his death, and Williams, 45, partnered with F Cancer to organize a “Dawson’s Creek” reunion and benefit event in September 2025.
However, van der Beek was forced to withdraw from the event at the last minute due to infections he described as “two stomach viruses”.
Lin-Manuel Miranda ended up filling in for Van Der Beek for a live table read of the pilot episode of “Dawson’s Creek” with Williams, Holmes, Jackson, Phillips, and other former co-stars at the Richard Rodgers Theater in New York City.
“I can’t believe I’m not there,” Van Der Beek told attendees during a surprise virtual appearance at the reunion. “I can’t believe I won’t be able to see my beautiful cast in person.”
“I’m so humbled by how much you’ve done for this night. I just want to say thank you,” added the actor, who later confirmed his shocking weight loss. “I appreciate each and every person here.”
As for her former Dawson’s Creek co-stars, Van Der Beek was full of praise.
In an interview published in August 2025, he said, “We’ve often said that we’re like people who went to high school together. When you get together, there’s a natural rhythm and trust that eventually develops.”
“But what’s really interesting is how the relationship has changed,” he noted. “We’ve all lived many lives in between, and we can rediscover their greatness. That’s where the real joy lies.”
