Reese Witherspoon
Heartbroken by the death of James Van Der Beek
published
Reese Witherspoon is honoring the life of James Van Der Beek as she mourns his death and says she is heartbroken to lose the talented actor.
Witherspoon paid tribute to Van Der Beek on her Instagram Story after he passed away on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. Although an official cause of death has not been released, Van Der Beek had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since August 2023.
Reese writes that she is “disheartened” by Van Der Beek’s passing, calling him an “extraordinary, talented man who showed great kindness and grace in everything he did.” Witherspoon added that she is praying for Van Der Beek’s family.
Van Der Beek’s final acting role will come in the upcoming TV series, “Elle,” which is based on Reese’s iconic character, Elle Woods, in the 2001 film “Legally Blonde.” Witherspoon is an executive producer on the show, which is set to premiere July 1. In the series, Van Der Beek plays Dean Wilson – a school superintendent and mayoral candidate.
TMZ.com
As you know… Van Der Beek enjoyed a successful Hollywood career, starring as Dawson Leary on the hit 1990s series “Dawson’s Creek.” She later had recurring roles on several other big shows, including “How I Met Your Mother,” “One Tree Hill,” and “Pose.”
In addition to his television work, James has starred in several films, including “Varsity Blues,” “Scary Movie,” “The Rules of Attraction” and more.
He is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children. James was 48 years old.
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