{"id":2483335,"date":"2026-07-01T11:49:29","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T11:49:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2483335"},"modified":"2026-07-01T11:49:29","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T11:49:29","slug":"inside-james-van-der-beeks-days-on-elle-set-before-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/inside-james-van-der-beeks-days-on-elle-set-before-death\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside James Van Der Beek’s Days on Elle Set Before Death"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Prime Video\u2019s Elle<\/em> debut is bittersweet for the inaugural cast, as they celebrate the start of their new show while mourning the absence of costar James Van Der Beek.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The Legally Blonde<\/em> prequel, streaming now, marks Van Der Beek\u2019s final TV role<\/a> before his death in February at age 48. While speaking exclusively to Us Weekly<\/em>, June Diane Raphael<\/strong> said it was \u201cthe honor of my professional life\u201d to serve as Van Der Beek\u2019s scene partner in season 1.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved acting with James,\u201d she told Us<\/em> about their characters crossing paths in the show.<\/a><\/p>\n

When fans meet Elle\u2019s (Lexi Minetree<\/strong>) mother, Eva (Raphael), in the show, she is struggling just as much as her daughter after leaving Los Angeles for Seattle. Enter Van Der Beek\u2019s character, Dean Wilson, who encourages Eva to help him with his run for office.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is just so charming in this show. I think his fans are going to be so excited to see him and to see his work in this,\u201d Raphael, 46, gushed. \u201cWe had so much fun together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite their bond off screen, Raphael recalled being worried that Eva\u2019s digs at Dean Wilson would upset the actor.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m really attacking the way he looks and what he\u2019s doing,\u201d she added. \u201cI checked in with him at one point and was like, \u2018Is this OK? Because I\u2019m improvising a little too?\u2019 And he was like, \u2018Just give me [it] \u2026 I love it.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Raphael walked away from the experience with a new respect for Van Der Beek<\/a>. She recalled getting to see the Dawson\u2019s Creek<\/em> alum reach a milestone when his kids visited him on set. (Van Der Beek shared six children with wife Kimberly Van Der Beek<\/strong>.)<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>\u2018Legally Blonde\u2018 Cast: Where Are They Now?<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tThe iconic comedy that gave us \u201cbend and snap!\u201d lives on! Released in 2001, Legally Blonde follows Reese Witherspoon\u2018s Elle Woods, a sorority girl who is dumped by her boyfriend who thinks he\u2019s too good for her. In an effort to prove him wrong and win him back, she hits the books and is accepted [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThere wasn\u2019t a moment on set where he wasn\u2019t talking about them,\u201d she continued. \u201cHe brought two of his daughters to the set, which was really special. \u2026 Kimberly shared with me that was the first time they had really been able to be on set with him. To bring your daughters to a workplace means that he really loved it [here] and really wanted it modeled for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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