Joshua Jackson Breaks Silence on James Van Der Beek's Death

“A man of the kind of belief, the kind of faith that allowed him to face the impossible with grace,” Joshua continued. “An unbelievable partner and husband. A real man that showed up for his family and a beautiful, kind, interested, dedicated father.”

 Joshua noted how James' great qualities made his passing even harder to cope with. 

“On the one hand that’s beautiful,” he continued. “I think he did lead a very good life and he was a good man, the tragedy of that loss for his family is enormous.”

James’ family previously confirmed he had died Feb. 11 following his nearly three-year battle with colorectal cancer. 

“He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” James’ family—including wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and kids Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9 and Gwendolyn, 6—said in a statement. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time.”

The family added, “For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

After Dawson’s Creek ended in 2003, Joshua and James remained friendly, and reconnected stronger than ever in the titular star’s final years. 

Nearly a year before he died, James shared it had been “so great” to reconnect with Joshua, as well as fellow costars Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Kerr Smith. 

“We all went our separate ways and, you know, just didn't speak for years because we're just living our lives and doing our things,” James said during an appearance on the Whine Down podcast in March 2025. "And to just reconnect and be like, 'Oh, wow. I love who you've become.'”

For his part, Joshua credited fellow Dawson’s castmates including Katie, Michelle and Busy Philipps, for reconnecting the cast amid James’ health battle. 

“I wish I could take credit for this,” the Cruel Intentions alum noted during an April 2025 appearance on the Dinner’s On Me podcast, “but I was kind of the absentee partner here, but the girls all got together and were like, ‘We need to do something to help this guy out.’”

Nevertheless, Joshua echoed James’ sentiment that there was no group quite like his classmates at Capeside High. 

“There’s probably no other people in your life that you are that forged to,” Joshua explained. “‘Cause you had to go through good and bad and ‘F--k you’ and ‘Don’t talk to me,’ and ‘I love you.’”

For a look back at James’ life in photos, keep reading…