Actor James Van Der Beek described as ‘ray of positivity’ amid cancer battle
By Casey Cooper-Fiske, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
Actor James Van Der Beek has been described as a “ray of positivity” amid his bowel cancer diagnosis.
The 48-year-old was pictured smiling with American TV presenter Craig Melvin ahead of an interview for NBC’s Today Show.
Melvin said of the Dawson’s Creek star: “Spent the day in TX on James Van Der Beek’s ranch.
“Overcast and dreary outside but James is quite the ray of positivity these days. It was refreshing and inspiring.
“We talked about where he is on his journey, the importance of cancer screenings, and how he’s finding joy in family and faith.”
In November 2024, the Dawson’s Creek star said in an interview with US outlet People that he was “privately dealing” with the diagnosis and “taking steps to resolve it”.
In the interview he said he had been prioritising time with his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.
He also acknowledged his diagnosis in an Instagram post to his 1.6 million followers, where he apologised to his loved ones who had learned about his cancer through the press.
Van Der Beek missed a Dawson’s Creek reunion event, which was organised in support of him and the charity F Cancer, in September, due to two stomach viruses.
The series, which ran for six seasons from 1998 until 2003, follows a group of friends as they navigate different stages of their adolescence together, with Van Der Beek playing the titular character, Dawson Leery.
Van Der Beek is also known for his roles as a fictional version of himself in Don’t Trust The B—- In Apartment 23; in CSI: Cyber as FBI agent Elijah Mundo; and as Matt Bromley in the first season of the FX drama Pose.
Bowel cancer can develop in the rectum or colon and is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK.
The charity says it is sometimes called colorectal cancer because it affects the large bowel, which includes the colon and rectum, with symptoms including bleeding from the back passage, blood in poo or a change in someone’s normal bowel habit.
