James Van Der Beek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Van Der Beek
Van Der Beek in 2013
Born	James David Van Der Beek (1977-03-08)March 8, 1977 Cheshire, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	February 11, 2026(2026-02-11) (aged 48) Austin, Texas, U.S.
Education	Cheshire Academy
Alma mater	Drew University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1992–2026
Spouse(s)	Heather McComb ​ ​ (m. 2003; div. 2010)​ Kimberly Brook ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	6

James David Van Der Beek (March 8, 1977 – February 11, 2026) was an American actor. He became widely known for his role as Dawson Leery in the popular TV show Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003. He also played a funny, fictional version of himself in the ABC sitcom Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. Later, he starred as FBI agent Elijah Mundo in CSI: Cyber and appeared as Matt Bromley in the first season of the drama series Pose.

His film work included movies like Varsity Blues (1998), Texas Rangers (2001), and Labor Day (2013).

Early Life and Family Background

James David Van Der Beek was born on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut. He was the oldest of three children. His mother, Melinda, was a dancer and gymnastics teacher. His father, James William Van Der Beek, worked as an executive for a cellular phone company. His family background included Dutch, German, English, Scots-Irish, and French roots. His last name, "Van Der Beek," means "from the creek" in Dutch.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Acting Steps

James Van Der Beek started acting early. He played Reuben in a middle school play called Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. When he was 15, he decided he wanted to act professionally. He asked his mother to help him find an agent in New York City.

He made his first professional appearance on stage at age 16 in 1993. This was in a play called Finding the Sun. He received good reviews for his performance. A decade later, in 2003, he returned to the stage in another play, Rain Dance.

While still in high school at Cheshire Academy, he acted in the musical Shenandoah. He also made his first movie appearance in Angus (1995), playing a bully. He had a small role in the independent film I Love You, I Love You Not (1996). He attended Drew University on a scholarship, where he sang in an all-male a cappella group. However, he left college when he got the main role in Dawson's Creek.

Becoming a TV Star

In early 1997, James Van Der Beek auditioned for several TV shows. He won the main role of Dawson Leery in The WB series Dawson's Creek. The show started in 1998 and quickly became very popular. It helped make the network famous and launched the careers of its cast members. The series ran for six seasons and was shown all over the world.

In 1999, he starred in the teen football movie Varsity Blues. This film 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 several other films, including Texas Rangers, Scary Movie, and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. In the latter, he played a fictional version of himself. In 2002, he acted in the film The Rules of Attraction.

After Dawson's Creek ended in 2003, he continued to appear in various TV shows and films. He guest-starred in a two-part episode of Criminal Minds in 2007. He also had a recurring role in How I Met Your Mother as Simon Tremblay, a former boyfriend of Robin Scherbatsky.

In 2008, he started a recurring role on One Tree Hill as a filmmaker. In 2009, he played a real-life character, Anthony Steven "Tony Zappa" Wright, in the Lifetime film Taken In Broad Daylight. That same year, he won Best Actor at the 8th Annual San Diego Film Festival for his role as FBI agent Jake Kelly in the thriller Formosa Betrayed.

In 2011, James Van Der Beek appeared in Kesha's music video for "Blow." He then played a funny, fictionalized version of himself in the ABC sitcom Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. Critics praised his comedic timing in the show. The series ran for two seasons.

On March 4, 2015, he began his role as Senior Field Agent Elijah Mundo in CSI: Cyber. In 2017, he appeared in the British comedy series Carters Get Rich. He also had a small role in the film Downsizing (2017) and voiced Boris Hauntley in the Disney Junior series Vampirina.

Van Der Beek also helped create, write, produce, and star in What Would Diplo Do?. In this show, he played the music producer and DJ Diplo. This was his first project as a showrunner, meaning he was in charge of the show's production. The show received positive reviews. In 2019, he was cast as Matt Bromley in the FX drama Pose for one season.

He competed on the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2019, partnered with professional dancer Emma Slater. He performed very well and was considered a favorite to win. He was eliminated in the semifinals, finishing in fifth place. That night, he shared that his wife, Kimberly, had faced a difficult personal challenge just before his elimination. His elimination was surprising to many fans.

Van Der Beek with Kerr Smith at GalaxyCon in 2025

In 2025, Van Der Beek competed on the thirteenth season of The Masked Singer as "Griffin." Clues during the show hinted at his past health struggles. He was eliminated in the "Group B Finals." His wife, Kimberly, and their children surprised him on stage during the reveal. In 2026, he appeared in the Legally Blonde prequel TV series Elle, which was released after his passing.

Personal Life and Family

James Van Der Beek was married to actress Heather McComb from 2003 until they separated in 2009. Their divorce was finalized in 2010.

On August 1, 2010, he married business consultant Kimberly Brook in a small ceremony in Tel Aviv, Israel. The couple had six children together. The couple also faced personal challenges, including the loss of pregnancies. In September 2020, the Van Der Beek family moved from Los Angeles to Texas.

Health and Passing

On August 31, 2023, James Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He kept his diagnosis private until November 2024, stating that he had been working to resolve it with his family's support. In November 2025, he announced plans to auction items from his past shows, like Dawson's Creek and Varsity Blues, to help with the costs of his cancer treatment.

James Van Der Beek passed away on February 11, 2026, at the age of 48.

Filmography

Television Roles

Film Roles

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