Remembering James Van Der Beek and His Many Iconic Roles, Including Dawson’s Creek

dawson's creek
Fatima Castillo
By Fatima CastilloFilm & TV Writer

dawson's creek
  • Primary Subject: James Van Der Beek's Career and Passing
  • Key Update: James Van Der Beek passed away peacefully on February 11, 2026, at the age of 48, following a public battle with Stage 3 colorectal cancer.
  • Status: Confirmed
  • Last Verified: February 12, 2026
  • Quick Answer: James Van Der Beek died on February 11, 2026. This article lists some of the most memorable roles James played, along with where to watch them online.

48-year-old James Van Der Beek, who is best known for playing Dawson Leery and many other film and TV characters, died on Wednesday. The actor was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023 and made his diagnosis public in 2024.

To commemorate his career, here are the 7 most memorable roles James played, and where you can watch them all online. Find out what his last roles were before his passing, too.

The Rules of Attraction (2002)

Based on the original 1987 novel of the same name, The Rules of Attraction particularly centers on Sean Bateman (James Van Der Beek), a drug-dealer/sex-obsessed teen, Lauren Hynde, who is a virgin in search of romance, and Paul Denton, a confused bisexual, whose lives intertwine in a chaotic love triangle.

Streaming Platform: Tubi, Amazon Prime Video

Castle in the Sky (2003)

Castle in the Sky is a Studio Ghibli animated adventure that follows two children, Pazu and Sheeta, in search of a mythical, floating city called Laputa, while they escape and outrun pirates and government agents.

James Van Der Beek voiced Pazu, the brave young engineer's apprentice who protects Sheeta as they traverse through the world together.

Streaming Platform: HBO Max

Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003)

James Van Der Beek's most memorable role on the list is embodying Dawson Leery from Dawson's Creek. This Spielberg-obsessed teenager faces the complexities of his adolescence and a pivotal love triangle between his best friends as they navigate their teen drama in Capeside, Massachusetts.

Streaming Platforms: Tubi, Hulu, Disney+, Netflix

Varsity Blues (1999)

Varsity Blues is one of those small-town films where high school football reigns supreme.

What happens when rising quarterback Lance Harbour (Paul Walker) turns up injured? Coyotes' ruthless coach, Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight), is forced to promote benchwarmer Jonathan"Mox" Moxon (James Van Der Beek) to lead the team to victory.

Streaming Platforms: Paramount+, Pluto

Vampirina (2017-2021)

Did you know that James did not just voice in Castle in the Sky, but also for the Disney Junior channel? He voiced Boris Hauntley, the bubbly and "spookily silly" vampire father of the titular character, Vee, across 69 episodes.

Streaming Platforms: Disney+

Don't Trust the B— in Apartment 23 (2012)

Don't Trust the B— in Apartment 23 sees a fun parody of James Van Der Beek.

Although the series follows the lead of June, the optimistic Midwesterner who is new to all things New York, she meets Chloe, her sociopathic, manipulative party girl of a roommate (the "B" in the title), who happens to be best friends with their famous neighbor, James, who plays a parody of himself.

Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video

CSI: Cyber (2015-2016)

FBI Special Agent Elijah Mundo (played by James Van Der Beek) is a key member of the Cyber Crime Division team in CSI: Cyber, where they are led by Special Agent/Cyberpsychologist Dr. Avery Ryan (Patricia Arquette) to investigate crimes involving the dark net and the deep web, from blackmails and hacking to digital theft and murder.

Purchase or Rent: Amazon Prime Video

What Were the Last Roles of James Van Der Beek Before His Passing?

Prior to Van Der Beek's heartbreaking death, he was cast in Elle, the prequel to the hit movie Legally Blonde, where he plays Dean Wilson, the city's new mayoral candidate and current school district superintendent.

Elle centers on a younger Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree) through high school as the series is set years before the events of the first movie, which kicked off Reese Witherspoon's Elle, who graduated from college to head to Harvard Law and pursue a legal career.

Since 2024, Van Der Beek has also appeared in:

  • Overcompensating (2025): Appeared in two episodes of the comedy series as Charlie, a middle-aged frat-obsessed character. Stream Overcompensating on Amazon Prime Video.
  • The Masked Singer (2025): Competed as "Griffin" in season 13. Stream The Masked Singer on Hulu.
  • Sidelined: The QB and Me (2024): First appearance in the role of Leroy Lahey. Stream Sidelined on Tubi.
  • Walker (2024): Appeared in the TV series as "New Neighbor." Stream Walker on HBO Max.

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