Editor's note:James Van Der Beek, the actor known best for embodying those formative, angsty teenage years in "Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues," has diedfollowing a diagnosis with colorectal cancer. He was 48.
Six months before Van Der Beek's death, he spoke with USA TODAY's Charles Trepany about his experience with cancer and how the illness impacted his outlook on life.
James Van Der Beekhas just woken up from a nap as he hops on a Microsoft Teams call.
About nine months after sharing hiscolorectal cancer diagnosiswith the world, the 48-year-old actor's face looks thinner. He isn't shy talking about the toll his illness has taken on him. He admits he doesn't have as much energy as he used to. He has good days and bad days.
But, while he wouldn't wish his illness on anyone, the actor adds it's also given him something else, something he didn't expect: a deeper sense ofself-love.
"Cancer's a wild thing," he says. "It really does force you to look at your own mortality and decide what's important and decide really what you want to live the rest of your life without. And so, one of the big things for me was recognizing how negative my self-talk was."
He continues: "When I was getting treatment and away from the beautiful cacophony of six kids and 36 acres and five dogs and a bearded dragon and the beautiful chaos that is my life, in the quiet, I realized how negatively I was talking to myself. And so, that started a whole journey of just recognizing how important self-love is and how necessary and how simple it is."
James Van Der Beek and how cancer has changed him
Van Der Beek first revealed he had colorectal cancerin a November interview with People, sharing he was diagnosed in August 2023. He says his cancer was detected via colonoscopy. Now, he's partnering with Guardant Health to encourage people to get screened for cancer regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. Together, Van Der Beek and Guardant Health are also raising awareness aboutthe Shield blood test, approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year,which can also detect colon cancer, though a colonoscopy remains the gold standard for diagnosis.
Getting diagnosed early, Van Der Beek says, is often life-saving. It was for him.
"To me, the biggest misunderstanding is that you need to have symptoms to get screened," he says. "I was very healthy, in amazing cardiovascular shape, and had full-blown stage three cancer, and I didn't know it."
James Der Beek, seen here smooching wife Kimberly at Logo's 2011 NewNowNext Awards in Hollywood, was a doting dad of six. Look back at the late star's many red-carpet appearances with his family." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and wife Kimberly Van Der Beek at the premiere of "The Grey" in LA on Jan. 11, 2012." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The couple at Fox's post-Emmys party on Sept. 23, 2012, in LA." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The Van Der Beeks at the "Labor Day" premiere during Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 7, 2013." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The couple arrives with son Joshua and daughter Olivia at the 11th John Varvatos Stuart House Benefit on April 13, 2014, in LA." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The actor shares popcorn and cotton candy with Olivia at the same event." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The family hangs with superheroes on the red carpet at Marvel Universe LIVE! on May 2, 2015, in Inglewood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and Joshua smile for a selfie at the Julius Jr. toy launch on June 24, 2014, in West Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The couple in costume with their kids at the GOOD+ Foundation Halloween bash hosted by Jessica Seinfeld on Oct. 30, 2016, in Hollywood." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The Van Der Beeks with daughters Olivia (standing) and Emilia at Safe Kids Day on April 23, 2017, in Culver City, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The actor and Emilia have a father-daughter treat from In-N-Out Burger at the event." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and daughter Annabel Leah at the same function." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The couple turned out for iHeartRadio Music Festival on Sept. 22, 2017, in Las Vegas." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The family of six (at the time) at Santa's Secret Workshop on Dec. 2, 2017, in West Hollywood." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Kimberly and James Van Der Beek at the "Pose" New York premiere on May 17, 2018." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Dad and kids Olivia, Annabel and Joshua Van Der Beek at Monster Jam on Aug. 18, 2018, in LA." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The couple at the Trevor Project's TrevorLIVE LA on Dec. 3, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The Van Der Beeks at the Fox/Hulu Golden Globe Awards viewing party at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Kimberly and James Van Der Beek attend a screening of "Skin" on July 11, 2019, in Hollywood." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek snaps a selfie with two of his kids at Operation Smile's 11th Celebrity Ski & Smile Challenge on April 1, 2023, in Park City, Utah." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
The couple attend HFC's Brain Health dinner on Sept. 30, 2023, in Austin, Texas." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Remembering James Van Der Beek and the family he leaves behind
James Der Beek, seen here smooching wife Kimberly at Logo's 2011 NewNowNext Awards in Hollywood, was a doting dad of six. Look back at the late star's many red-carpet appearances with his family.
The actor says cancer has forced him to take a good, hard look at his life. It's made him rethink what matters and let go of what doesn't. It's also made him reexamine who he really is, versus what he's come to identify himself as.
Advertisement
More:James Van Der Beek reveals what colorectal cancer taught him about self-love
"I was forced to look at myself and say, 'Well, what am I, if I'm just a too skinny guy alone in a room with cancer?' And the conclusion that I came to, after some meditation, was I'm still worthy of love. I'm still worthy of God's love, but I'm still worthy of self-love, just for existing," he says. "My conclusion is that I do believe we're here to experience love − to connect to and to give and to receive love. But, in order to receive love, I think you have to have it for yourself first."
Why he wants to work now more than ever
Van Der Beek has refused to let cancer stop him from acting. He says, it's actually fueled him to act − and do other things he loves − even more. Van Der Beek recently appeared in Amazon's"Overcompensating"and is set to also appear in the upcoming"Legally Blonde"spin-off series"Elle."
Before cancer, Van Der Beek says, he was on the verge of taking a step back from acting. Since his diagnosis, however, he's recommitted himself to it.
"For a minute, I thought, 'You know what? I don't need acting. I don't need it in the way that I did before,' " he says. "I'm very, very happy just doing this here with my family. And then, when I got cancer, I realized I love to tell stories. Acting is actually a real passion. Writing is a real passion, and I need to feed that. So, I joke that I'm the only guy I know who got cancer and realized I need to work more."
James Van Der Beek, the actor known best for embodying those formative, angsty teenage years in "Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues," died on Feb. 11 at age 48 following a battle with colorectal cancer."He met his final days with courage, faith and grace," read a post on the actor's official Instagram page. "There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Catherine O'Hara, the legendary actress known for "Home Alone," "Best in Show" and "Schitt's Creek," died on Jan. 30 at the age of 71, O'Hara's manager confirmed to People magazine. A cause of death was not given.A veteran in the entertainment industry, O'Hara has been one of the most lauded and respected actors of her generation, winner of two career Emmy awards, a Golden Globe and two Actor Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild Awards). She was nominated for two Emmys at the 2025 ceremony. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Chuck Negron, founding member of "One" and "Til the World Ends" rockers Three Dog Night, has died. He was 83.The singer died Feb. 2 at his home in Los Angeles' Studio City neighborhood from heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complications, publicist Zach Farnum confirmed to USA TODAY.
Singers Danny Hutton and Cory Wells invited the New York City native to found Three Dog Night in 1967, going on to lead a successful run through the early '70s. Their 21 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit singles include "Til the World Ends" and "Joy to the World." But the band is perhaps best known for their covers, popularizing Leo Sayer's "The Show Must Go On," Eric Burdon's "Mama Told Me," "Easy to Be Hard" from the musical "Hair" and Harry Nilsson's "One."
Negron embarked on a solo career, releasing the albums "Am I Still in Your Heart?," "Long Road Back" and the Christmas record "Joy to the World."
Rafael Pineda, known to countless viewers as the familiar face of Univision 1, has died. He was 88.Univision 41 announced the news with a story on its website, confirming Pineda died Jan. 25, in Florida.
Pineda anchored WXTV, or Univision 1, in New York for more than 40 years from 1972 to 2013, when he retired. When he left the network, he was the longest-serving news anchor in the New York market and a pioneering Spanish-language voice." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Kim Vō, the celebrity hair colorist behind the blond tresses of stars such as Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Pamela Anderson and Goldie Hawn, has died.Vō died following a seven-year battle with colorectal cancer that saw him "exceeding all medical expectations," his husband, Adeel Vo-Khan, wrote in a Jan. 24 social media post.
Aside from working with celebrity clients, Vō also appeared on shows like Bravo's "Shear Genius" and the 2022 Paramount+ show "Blowing LA," which featured his flagship salon in West Hollywood, California.
Rob Hirst, the Australian rock drummer best known for cofounding the band Midnight Oil, has died at age 70 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, Hirst's bandmates revealed on social media on Jan. 20. Hirst had been diagnosed in 2023. The musician released 13 studio albums with Midnight Oil from 1978-2022, including 1987's platinum-selling "Diesel and Dust." He was also a member of the bands Ghostwriters and Backsliders." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Valentino Garavani, Italian fashion designer to the stars, died at 93.A post shared Jan. 19 on Instagram by his foundation and his own @realmrvalentino account reads, "Our founder, Valentino Garavani, passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones." His cause of death was not given.
The founder of the eponymous brand Valentino retired from designing in 2008 after a storied career in fashion that included dressing notable figures, such as Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Joan Collins, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Penelope Cruz and Sharon Stone. He also introduced a signature shade of crimson, with a hit of orange, known as "Valentino Red."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Roger Allers, the Oscar-nominated animated filmmaker who co-directed Disney's 1994 blockbuster hit "The Lion King," died on Jan. 17, the company's CEO announced. He was 76. Allers died following "a short illness," a Walt Disney Animation Studios spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter and Animation Magazine. USA TODAY reached out to the studio and his family for additional information.
Disney CEO Bob Iger spoke about Allers' death in a Jan. 18 social media post, calling the director a "creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Scott Adams, the cartoonist who created the long-running "Dilbert" comic strip, has died at 68 after a battle with prostate cancer. Adams shared his cancer diagnosis in May 2025. In 2023, numerous newspapers dropped his comic strip after he made racist comments saying that white people should "get the hell away from Black people."Adams' ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced his death during a Jan. 13 livestream. She also read a message from Adams, which he authored at the start of the year. "I had an amazing life," Adams wrote in his New Year's Day letter. "I gave it everything I had. If I got any benefits from my work, I'm asking that you pay it forward as best as you can. That's the legacy I want: be useful. And please know, I loved you all to the very end."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Bob Weir, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died on Jan. 10 at age 78. Weir's death was announced in a post on Instagram, which said the cause was "underlying lung issues." "For over sixty years, Bobby took to the road. A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music," the post said. "His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Actor T.K. Carter died on Jan. 9 at age 69, representatives confirmed to USA TODAY. Born Thomas Kent Carter, the actor was known for his roles in films like "The Thing" and TV shows like "Punky Brewster." "T.K. Carter was a consummate professional and a genuine soul whose talent transcended genres," his publicist, Tony Freeman, said. "He brought laughter, truth, and humanity to every role he touched. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists and fans alike."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Grammy-nominated country songwriter Jim McBride, known for cowriting over a dozen Alan Jackson records, including "Chattahoochee," has died. He was 78.Jackson confirmed McBride's death in an Instagram tribute on Jan. 8.
"Jim and I wrote some of my favorite songs together and I don't know if my career would have ended up quite the same without his help," Jackson wrote, "inspiration, and encouragement in my early years. Thank you Jim, rest in peace." The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer is also credited with helping write Conway Twitty's "A Bridge That Just Won't Burn," among other songs.
Hungarian director Béla Tarr, best known for dark dramas such as "Damnation," "Satantango" and "The Turin Horse," died on Jan. 6 following a "long and serious illness," the European Film Academy announced in a tribute to the late filmmaker.2011's "The Turin Horse," Tarr's final feature film, won best foreign language film at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, as well as the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Passages 2026: James Van Der Beek and more stars we lost
James Van Der Beek, the actor known best for embodying those formative, angsty teenage years in "Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues," died on Feb. 11 at age 48 following a battle with colorectal cancer."He met his final days with courage, faith and grace," read a post on the actor's official Instagram page. "There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come."
More:James van der Beek, 48, dies of colon cancer. What to know about the condition
One of the best parts about acting, he says, is that, when the camera's rolling, nothing else matters. You're in the moment, not thinking about anything else − including cancer.
As for family life, Van Der Beek says his kids have all processed his illness differently. The actor and his wife, Kimberly Brook, share six children, whose ages span from 3 to 14.
When it comes to parenting with an illness, Van Der Beek has made honesty his policy. Being transparent, he says, has "really allowed for some lovely moments of connection" with his kids.
From "Dawson's Creek" darling to "Dancing With the Stars," James Van Der Beek, who died Feb. 11 at 48, made a name for himself in film and television in the early '90s. Revisit the actor's most memorable roles and career highlights, starting with Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery in "Dawson's Creek."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
In this photo taken in 1997, the cast of "Dawson's Creek": Katie Holmes (Joey Potter), James Van Der Beek (Dawson Leery), Michelle Williams (Jennifer Lindley) and Joshua Jackson (Pacey)." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and John Voight star in "Varsity Blues" in 1999. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and Heather McComb attend the GLAAD Awards on April 15, 2000, at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek of "Dawson's Creek" arrives at the WB Network's 2001 All-Star Party on Jan. 6, 2001, in Pasadena, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek (seen here in 2001) stars as Dawson Leery in TV's "Dawson's Creek." " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and Jessica Simpson at the Nickelodeon's 14th annual Kids' Choice Awards at Barker Hangar in Los Angeles on April 21, 2001." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek plays in a softball game between the Hollywood All-Stars and the San Francisco Forty Niners Alumni on June 8, 2002, at the Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek attends the launch of the "uBid for Hurricane Relief" charity auction and benefit at the Empire Ballroom on Oct. 15, 2005, in Las Vegas." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James van der Beek arrives at a private performance of Cirque Du Soliel's "Delirium" on Sept. 14, 2006, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek attends the 50th annual Hollywood Stars Game at the Dodger Stadium on June 21, 2008, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Ian Somerhalder and James Van Der Beek arrive at the 2nd annual Golden Globes party on Dec. 8, 2009." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Brook attend the "William Vincent" after party during the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival at The Gates on April 25, 2010 in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Van Der Beek attend HBO's Post 2011 Golden Globe Awards Party held at The Beverly Hilton hotel on Jan. 16, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek speaks onstage during Logo's "NewNowNext Awards" 2011 at Avalon on April 7, 2011 in Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Phoenix, James Van Der Beek, Mimi Imfurst and Alexis Mateo onstage during Logo's "NewNowNext Awards" 2011 at Avalon on April 7, 2011 in Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Liza Lapira, James Van Der Beek and Krysten Ritter speak during the "Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23" panel during the ABC portion of the 2012 Winter TCA Tour held at The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa on Jan. 10, 2012, in Pasadena, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and wife Kimberly Van Der Beek attend the premiere of Open Road's "The Grey" at Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE on Jan. 11, 2012." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek accepts the Icon Award during the 14th annual Young Hollywood Awards presented by Bing at Hollywood Athletic Club on June 14, 2012 in Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek visits "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" at Rockefeller Center on Oct. 26, 2012 in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Kimberley Van Der Beek and James Van Der Beek attend the "Labor Day" premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at Ryerson Theatre on Sept. 7, 2013, in Toronto, Canada." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek, son Joshua Van Der Beek, daughter Olivia Van Der Beek and wife Kimberly Van Der Beek arrive at the 11th annual John Varvatos Stuart House Benefit at John Varvatos on April 13, 2014, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and son Joshua Van Der Beek attend the John Varvatos 11th annual Stuart House Benefit at John Varvatos Boutique on April 13, 2014." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek and Shad Moss speak onstage during the "CSI: Cyber" panel as part of the CBS/Showtime 2015 Winter Television Critics Association press tour on Jan. 12, 2015 in Pasadena, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek throws out the first pitch between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on Sep 7, 2017." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, POSE honorees James Van Der Beek, Charlayne Woodard, Hailie Sahar, Our Lady J, Indya Moore, Dominique Jackson, Ryan Murphy, Janet Mock, Billy Porter, Steven Canals, Dyllon Burnside, Mj Rodriguez and Ryan Jamaal Swain attend the Trevor Project's TrevorLIVE LA 2018 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Dec. 3, 2018, in Beverly Hills, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek stops by the WarnerMedia Lodge for "Elevating Storytelling with AT&T" during Sundance Film Festival 2020 on Jan. 24, 2020, in Park City, Utah." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek attends Operation Smile's 11th annual Celebrity Ski & Smile Challenge on April 1, 2023, in Park City, Utah." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek, pictured here with his children, attends Operation Smile's 11th annual Celebrity Ski & Smile Challenge on April 1, 2023, in Park City, Utah." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek arrives at the premiere of Prime Video Series "Overcompensating" at Hollywood Palladium on May 14, 2025 in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
James Van Der Beek, Connie Britton and Benito Skinner arrive at the premiere of Prime Video Series "Overcompensating" at the Hollywood Palladium on May 14, 2025, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> James Van Der Beek's career from 'Dawson's Creek' to 'Varsity Blues'
From "Dawson's Creek" darling to "Dancing With the Stars," James Van Der Beek,who died Feb. 11 at 48, made a name for himself in film and television in the early '90s.Revisit the actor's most memorable roles and career highlights, starting with Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery in "Dawson's Creek."
"We made the choice to just be as honest as we can with them," he says. "They all handle it differently. They all hide it differently. Their concern manifests differently in each of them. But again, telling them what I'm going through, it actually allows them to show up for me in a way that's just been so beautiful. 'Dad, can I get you tea?' 'No, Dad, I'll get that for you.' 'How are you feeling today?' They know when I'm having a bad day. I mean, kids, they pick up on everything."
More:'Dawson's Creek' star James Van Der Beek dies at 48 after colorectal cancer battle
Though he's grateful for the new perspective cancer's given him, he obviously wishes we lived in a world where no one had to go through it. That's why he's "shouting from the rooftops: Get screened. Talk to your doctor."
"I'm feeling good," he says. "I've learned a lot. But if I could save people from having to go through this journey, I definitely will. I would still give colorectal cancer zero stars."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:James Van Der Beek shares cancer update in final USA TODAY interview
