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James Van Der Beek<\/a> died on Wednesday at the age of 48.<\/p>\n The actor revealed a colorectal cancer diagnosis in November. His death was announced via his official Instagram page<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOur beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity, and the sacredness of time,\u201d the announcement read. \u201cThose days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.\u201d<\/p>\n Van Der Beek\u2019s big break came in 1998, when he starred opposite Katie Holmes<\/a> on the teen drama \u201cDawson\u2019s Creek<\/a>.\u201d He played the titular Dawson Leery, a soft-hearted and naive high schooler coming of age in a small Massachusetts town. Many of his most-famous roles followed a similar tack, using his All-American good looks to portray the complicated lives of teens and young adults. As Jonathan \u201cMox\u201d Moxon in \u201cVarsity Blues,\u201d he pushed back against the pressures of playing quarterback for a small-town high school. In the Bret Easton Ellis adaptation \u201cThe Rules of Attraction,\u201d he took on the role of a collegiate drug-dealer.<\/p>\n Van Der Beek\u2019s biggest post-\u201cCreek\u201d role came in \u201cDon\u2019t Trust The B**** in Apartment 23,\u201d playing an exaggerated version of himself. Across that cult hit\u2019s two seasons, Van Der Beek dealt with the problem\u2019s that plague an aging teen heartthrob.<\/p>\n Van Der Beek was showered with tributes from his fellow teen television stars and former castmates. Sarah Michelle Gellar<\/a> commented on the Instagram post announcing his passing, calling Van Der Beek\u2019s death a \u201chuge loss to\u2026the world.\u201d \u201cOne Tree Hill\u201d star Chad Michael Murray<\/a> called Van Der Beek a \u201cgiant.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSending love and light to your beautiful family,\u201d he wrote. \u201cWe\u2019re so so so sorry for what you\u2019re going through. His words, art and humanity inspired all of us \u2013 he inspired us to be better in all ways. God bless you guys.\u201d<\/p>\n The post James Van Der Beek, \u201cDawson\u2019s Creek\u201dactor and teen icon, dead at 48<\/a> appeared first on Salon.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n