James Van Der Beek, an American actor known for his role as Dawson Leery on “Dawson’s Creek,” died on February 11, 2026, at age 48.
Born on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, he worked as an actor from 1992 to 2026. He also played a fictionalized version of himself on “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23,” starred as FBI agent Elijah Mundo on “CSI: Cyber,” and appeared as Matt Bromley in the first season of “Pose.” His film credits included “Varsity Blues,” “Texas Rangers,” “The Rules of Attraction,” “Formosa Betrayed,” “Labor Day,” and “Bad Hair.”
James David Van Der Beek (/ˈvændərˌbiːk/; March 8, 1977 – February 11, 2026) was an American actor. Known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery on The WB’s Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003), he also played a fictionalized version of himself on the cult ABC sitcom Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 (2012–2013), starred as FBI agent Elijah Mundo on CSI: Cyber (2015–2016) and appeared as Matt Bromley during the first season of the FX drama Pose (2018).