James Van Der Beek, the actor best known for playing teenage aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery on the coming of age television drama “Dawson’s Creek,” has died.

His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, shared the news on Instagram on February 11.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” she wrote in a post shared on both her account and his. “He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

“Dawson’s Creek” aired on The WB from 1998 to 2003 and followed a close group of friends navigating their teenage years and early adulthood. The series also starred Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams.

Following the show’s success, Van Der Beek appeared in a range of film and television roles. He portrayed a fictionalised version of himself in the ABC sitcom “Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23” from 2012 to 2013, later starred as FBI Agent Elijah Mundo in “CSI Cyber,” and made guest appearances on the FX drama “Pose.”

His film credits included “Varsity Blues,” “The Rules of Attraction,” and the horror film “Bad Hair.”

In November 2024, Van Der Beek revealed he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” he said at the time. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”

He later explained he had planned to share his health update in a more detailed interview but chose to announce it sooner after learning a tabloid was preparing to publish the news without his consent.

“Apologies to all the people in my life who I’d planned on telling myself. Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline,” he wrote. “But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention.”

Van Der Beek married Kimberly in 2010, and the couple shared six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah. He frequently shared glimpses of family life on their Texas ranch through social media.

In September, he was scheduled to reunite with his “Dawson’s Creek” co stars for a one night only event in New York, but withdrew shortly before due to illness. He later appeared in a pre recorded video message thanking fans.

“From the cast to the crew to everybody who’s doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you,” he said. “You are the best fans in the world.”