James Van Der Beek, the actor who starred in the teen drama series “Dawson’s Creek” and the sports drama “Varsity Blues,” has died. Known for wooing audiences as aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery in the WB series, Van Der Beek died Wednesday morning. As he celebrated his 48th birthday in March, Van Der Beek said in a video that confronting his own mortality encouraged him to look inward. AdvertisementAfter years of passing on opportunities, Van Der Beek sought to reframe himself and have some fun with it. In addition to his wife, Van Der Beek is survived by their six children Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah, the Associated Press reported.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 11, 2026 21:16 UTC