James Van Der Beek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Van Der Beek
Van Der Beek at GalaxyCon Austin in 2023
Born	James David Van Der Beek (1977-03-08) March 8, 1977 (age 48) Cheshire, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	Cheshire Academy
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1992–present
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Spouse(s)	Heather McComb ​ ​ (m. 2003; div. 2010)​ Kimberly Brook ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	6

James David Van Der Beek (born March 8, 1977) is an American actor. He is most famous for playing Dawson Leery in the TV show Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2003. He also played a funny, made-up version of himself in the TV comedy Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012–2013). Later, he starred as FBI Agent Elijah Mundo in CSI: Cyber (2015–2016) and appeared as Matt Bromley in the first season of the drama Pose (2018).

James Van Der Beek has also been in several movies. Some of his film roles include Varsity Blues (1998), Texas Rangers (2001), The Rules of Attraction (2002), Formosa Betrayed (2009), Labor Day (2013), and Bad Hair (2020).

Early life and background

James Van Der Beek was born in Cheshire, Connecticut. His mother, Melinda, was a dancer and gymnastics teacher, and his father, James William Van Der Beek, worked for a phone company and used to play minor league baseball.

His family background includes Dutch, German, English, Scots-Irish, and French roots. His last name, "Van Der Beek," means "from the creek" in Dutch.

Acting career

Starting in theatre

James Van Der Beek began acting when he was young. In middle school, he played Reuben in a play called Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. When he was 15, he decided he wanted to act professionally.

He made his first professional appearance in 1993, at age 16. This was in an off-Broadway play in New York City called Finding the Sun. He played a character named Fergus, and both he and the play received good reviews. Years later, in 2003, he acted in another off-Broadway play called Rain Dance.

James also attended Drew University on a scholarship and was part of an all-male singing group. However, he left college when he got the main role in Dawson's Creek.

Television and film roles

In early 1997, James Van Der Beek tried out for several TV shows. One of them was for a new show called Dawson's Creek on The WB network. He won the main role of Dawson Leery. When the show started in 1998, it was a big hit. It helped make the network popular and launched the careers of its young cast. Dawson's Creek ran for six seasons and was shown all over the world.

In 1999, James starred in the teen football movie Varsity Blues. This movie was number one at the U.S. box office for its first two weeks. For his role, he won an MTV Movie Award. Around this time, People magazine named him one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World."

He appeared in other films too, like Texas Rangers, Scary Movie, and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. In Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, he played a funny version of himself. In 2002, he played Sean Bateman in the movie The Rules of Attraction. This movie didn't do well at first but later became a favorite among fans on DVD.

After Dawson's Creek ended in 2003, James continued to act in TV shows. He made guest appearances on shows like Ugly Betty and How I Met Your Mother, where he played Simon, one of Robin Scherbatsky’s old boyfriends. From 2008 to 2009, he had a recurring role on One Tree Hill as a filmmaker.

In 2009, he played a real-life kidnapper in the TV movie Taken In Broad Daylight. That same year, he won Best Actor at the San Diego Film Festival for his role as an FBI agent in the movie Formosa Betrayed.

In 2011, James Van Der Beek appeared in Kesha's music video for her song "Blow". He then starred in the TV series Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, where he played a funny, made-up version of himself. Critics praised his acting and comedic timing in the show.

From 2015 to 2016, he played Senior Field Agent Elijah Mundo on CSI: Cyber. He also voiced Boris Hauntley in the Disney Junior show Vampirina from 2017 to 2021.

As a writer, James Van Der Beek helped create, write, produce, and star in What Would Diplo Do?. In this show, he played the famous producer and DJ Diplo. This was his first time being a "showrunner," meaning he was in charge of the series. The show received good reviews.

In 2019, James joined the cast of Pose as Matt Bromley for one season. He also competed in the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars with professional dancer Emma Slater. He was a very good dancer and often scored high, making it to the semi-finals before being eliminated in fifth place.

Personal life

James Van Der Beek was married to actress Heather McComb from 2003 to 2010. He then married business consultant Kimberly Brook on August 1, 2010, in Israel.

James and Kimberly have six children: four daughters and two sons. In September 2020, they announced they were moving from Los Angeles to Texas.

Health

In August 2023, James Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He shared this news publicly in November 2024, saying he has been dealing with it privately with his family's support.

Filmography

Television

Film

Awards and nominations

MTV Movie Awards

Teen Choice Awards

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

San Diego Film Festival

NewNowNext Awards

See also

In Spanish: James van der Beek para niños