The news of TV and film actor James van der Beek’s death has rocked fans of his hit productions. The 1990s heartthrob was diagnosed with bowel cancer in early 2023, sharing the news in late 2024 with fans and media.
Celebrating his iconic roles, we take a walk down memory lane to see some of his definitive work throughout his 30-year career.
Angus
With a promising future in theatre as a child star, Van der Beek made his debut in feature film in the coming-of-age flick Angus in 1995. He played the sadistic bully Rick Sandford, who is put in his place in the famous Winter Ball scene when his character is faced with trying to impose his views on what makes people normal.
Dawson’s Creek
Van der Beek’s impact playing the titular role in the hit 1990s show would have an impact decades later as his famous crying scene would become a viral sensation and a meme people continue to use today.
The show would become a breakout success and helped establish the studio that produced it, which went on to make bigger hits including Gossip Girl, The OC and Veronica Mars.
Varsity Blues
Van der Beek’s next big-screen role was in Varsity Blues, which followed a small-town football team. It would earn him an MTV Movie Award.
The movie gained a cult following, in part due to the real-life operations conducted by the FBI which found certain celebrities and high-profile Americans were influencing undergraduate admissions at several top universities. This included fellow child star Lori Loughlin of Full House fame.
One Tree Hill
In his return to teen dramas, he played a satirical version of his beloved Dawson character in the hit dramedy One Tree Hill.
Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23
When it comes to the critically adored 2010s series, Van der Beek became a standout in a cast including the hilarious Krysten Ritter. He would again lean into a meta role where he played a parody of himself, earning the series rave reviews for his performance.
Power Rangers
While the short film never got green-lit, its aesthetic became a clear early inspiration for the 2019 cinematic release starring Stranger Things star Dacre Montgomery. Directed by Joseph Kahn (best known for his critically acclaimed work in music videos for Britney Spears, Taylor Swift and Snoop Dogg, among others), the featurette took a grittier look at the teen superheroes as they aged into adulthood.
Van der Beek plays Rocky, one of the lead Rangers who is investigating the murder of his predecessors.
The Masked Singer
What few may know about Van der Beek’s life before Dawson’s Creek is that he was once part of an acapella band. When he dropped out of university for the TV role, he left music behind. It was later on the hit reality series The Masked Singer that he would showcase his singing talent.
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