James Van Der Beek bought the Texas ranch he rented before his death for millions of dollars.
The “Dawson’s Creek” star, along with his wife Kimberly and their children, began renting the expansive property in 2020, but officially purchased the Austin-area ranch on Jan. 9 for $4.76 million in what appears to be an off-market deal, according to Realtor.com.
The Varsity Blues star passed away on February 11th after a years-long battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
Shortly after the beloved actor’s death at age 48, friends set up a GoFundMe that had raised more than $2.5 million in donations as of Saturday.
The hugely successful GoFundMe later came under fire from those who believed the move was unnecessary given Mr van der Beek’s successful career and expensive home purchases.
However, a representative for the late actor revealed on Saturday that Van Der Beek had secured a down payment on a home with the help of a friend.
“James secured a down payment on a ranch in Texas with the help of friends through a trust to help his family transition from rent to mortgage,” a representative told People.
Meanwhile, celebrities including Broadway star Donna Vivino took to social media to defend GoFundMe from trolls who questioned the legitimacy of the fundraiser.
“To those who are attacking James Van Der Beek’s wife for accessing[GoFundMe]please give us some facts,” she wrote Friday.
“1. They didn’t own the farm they lived on, they rented it. 2. He wasn’t making a living off the residue.”
Referring to the actor’s previous comment that he got “almost nothing” from the wreckage of “Dawson’s Creek,” she added, “Cancer treatment is very expensive, even with insurance.”
“Not everything is what you see online,” she concluded her post. “A little context goes a long way.”
RHOC alum Braunwyn Windham-Burke publicly responded to Vivino’s comments, as did Deborah Cox. “My family is drowning in medical debt because of my father’s cancer. My parents saved, worked hard, had a fulfilling retirement… everything is gone,” Windham-Burke said.
Mr Cox responded: “This industry is a disgrace.”
“Yellowstone” actress Hussie Harrison also responded to Vivino’s post, writing, “It’s heartbreaking that you even had to post this. How can people be so rotten?”
Representatives for Van Der Beek did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment on Saturday.
Meanwhile, since the late actor’s death on Wednesday, A-listers have been flooding GoFundMe with large donations for the late actor’s family.
Top donors include Zoe Saldaña, who gave $2,500 a month to the family, Steven Spielberg, who gave $25,000, and “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu, who gave $10,000.
