James Van Der Beek was mourned by his former Dawson’s Creek co-stars, peers, family and friends when he died on February 11, 2026, following a battle with colorectal cancer. As Hollywood paid tribute to his on-screen work and off-screen personality, James’ profession, net price and overall legacy made headlines.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” a press release shared to James’ Instagram that day read. “He met his final days with courage, faith, and style. There may be 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.”
Below, study James’ net price and acting profession.
James Van Der Beek’s Most Famous Movies & TV Shows
Out of all his television credits, James’ most famous role was playing Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek. He starred within the hit WB series from 1998 to 2003.
The late Connecticut native also appeared within the shows Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment, CSI: Cyber and Pose. His most recognizable film performances were in Varsity Blues, Texas Rangers, The Rules of Attraction, Formosa Betrayed, Labor Day and Bad Hair.
James Van Der Beek’s Net Price
As of February 2026, James had a net price of $3 million, in response to Celebrity Net Price. His high net price got here from years of regular work in film and on TV.
What Happened to James Van Der Beek? His Cancer Battle
James was battling colorectal cancer in his final years. He was diagnosed in 2023 but didn’t announce it until the next 12 months in an emotional Instagram post.
“Annually, roughly 2 billion people world wide receive this diagnosis. And I’m considered one of them,” James wrote on the time. “There’s no playbook for the way announce this stuff, but I’d planned on talking about it at length with People magazine sooner or later soon … to boost awareness and tell my story alone terms. But that plan needed to be altered early this morning after I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news.”
The late Varsity Blues star noted that he’d “been coping with this privately” and was “in a very good place and feeling strong” despite the diagnosis.