James Van Der Beek, the actor who became a defining face of 1990s television through his role as Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, has died at 48.
His family announced his death on February 11, 2026, sharing that he had passed peacefully. The statement described him as a beloved husband, father, son, brother and friend and asked for privacy as his family grieved. His cause of death was not publicly disclosed.
Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children.
For millions of viewers who grew up watching Dawson’s Creek, the news marked the loss of an actor whose most famous character became closely tied to an entire generation.
But his career reached far beyond Capeside.
The Role That Changed Everything
When Dawson’s Creek premiered in 1998, Van Der Beek became the face of a new kind of television coming-of-age story.
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