James Van Der Beek’s onscreen mother in Dawson’s Creek pays tribute to her ‘gracious warrior’ as she recalls their final conversation days before his death

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James Van Der Beek’s former co-stars from Dawson’s Creek are remembering him fondly after news of his death at age 48 was announced on Wednesday.

Kimberly Van Der Beek announced the death of her husband, who bravely fought colorectal cancer for two years.

After the news was released, Instagram was filled with heartfelt messages from James Van Der Beek’s “Dawson’s Creek” co-stars, including a touching post from Mary-Margaret Humes, who played his on-screen mother, Gale Leery.

Last September, 71-year-old Mary-Margaret joined her former Dawson’s Creek co-stars, including Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson, for a reunion event. They came together to raise money for James, who was facing financial difficulties while battling cancer.

James was scheduled to attend the charity event, which was happening for one night only, but unfortunately had to cancel because he wasn’t feeling well.

On Wednesday evening, Mary-Margaret shared a heartfelt message honoring her ‘kind and strong’ co-star, and recalled their last talks as characters who played mother and son.

I usually know what to say, but I’m finding it hard today. James was a wonderful and brave fighter who faced incredible challenges with grace and humility, as shown in this photo of us from the Dawson’s Creek set, the actress shared.

I’ll always cherish what you did and how you were. Even our recent conversations, just a few days ago, I’ll hold onto them gently in my memory.

Mary finished her message by asking fans to be considerate and respect the privacy of Kimberly and her family during this difficult time, as they’ve requested peace and quiet.

From 1998 to 2003, James played the role of Dawson Leery in the popular TV show, Dawson’s Creek, appearing in all six seasons.

Busy Philipps, who became known as Audrey Liddell when she joined the show in 2001, also posted a tribute on Instagram, sharing pictures from the set.

‘My heart is deeply hurting for all of us today…,’ she wrote.

Everyone who knew and loved James – his friends, family, and those who appreciated his work – is deeply saddened by his passing. This includes his parents, brother, and sister, as well as the community that supported him through his illness.

Busy expressed her deep sadness for Kimberly, his wonderful wife, and their six children, describing them as ‘magical’.

I’m heartbroken by the loss of James Van Der Beek. He was a truly special person, a one-in-a-billion friend, and I’ll miss him terribly. I’m so grateful for all the years of friendship we shared. ❤️

She then asked her followers to donate to a GoFundMe campaign set up to help the actor’s family after his passing.

I was very sorry to hear about the death of James Van Der Beek. I had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife at their home in Texas last year. They clearly have a loving relationship, and he was a devoted father to their six children.

Kerr Smith, who played Jack McPhee, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, saying he’s thankful for his close relationship with James and will miss him dearly. He wished him peace.

James Van Der Beek’s wife announced his passing on Instagram, sharing that he died peacefully this morning. She described him as courageous, faithful, and graceful in his final days.

We have many cherished memories of his kindness, his deep care for others, and his appreciation for every moment. We will share those with you in the future. Right now, we kindly request privacy and peace as we mourn the loss of our beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend.

James and Kimberly are parents to six children: Olivia, who is fifteen, Joshua, thirteen, Annabel, twelve, nine-year-old Emilia, seven-year-old Gwendolyn, and four-year-old Jeremiah.

A GoFundMe campaign has been started to help the actor’s family financially.

The actor died on February 11th after a long fight with cancer, his family announced.

The family struggled emotionally and financially while James was sick, doing everything they could to care for him.

James shared in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer a year earlier.

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2026-02-12 11:04