Fans, celebrities pay tribute to late ‘Varsity Blues’ star James Van Der Beek

James Van Der Beek has died at the age of 48, his wife disclosed on Wednesday. The late actor had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer, he revealed in 2024.

Van Der Beek gained fame for starring as Dawson Leery in the popular “Dawson’s Creek” show from 1998-2003. He later had recurring roles in TV shows “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23,” “Mercy,” and “Friends with Better Lives.”

Though he was mostly a TV star, Van Der Beek also starred in several movies. 

Many sports fans fondly remembered Van Der Beek for his portrayal of “Mox” in the high school football movie “Varsity Blues.”