Person
James Van Der Beek
Born 8 March 1977 Died 11 February 2026, aged 48 Cheshire, Connecticut, USA TMDB ↗
James Van Der Beek (March 8, 1977 – February 11, 2026) was an American actor best known for his role as Dawson Leary on the television series Dawson's Creek.
FR·01
The numbers
14age in their first credit on record (1991)
35years on screen and counting
7credits in 2009, their busiest year
58dated credits on record
FR·02
Movie credits
Age: 49 The Gates
2026as Jacob
Age: 48 Sidelined 2: Intercepted
2025as Leroy Lahey
Age: 47 Sidelined: The QB and Me
2025as Leroy Lahey
Age: 44 Bad Hair
2021as Grant Madison
Age: 40 Downsizing
2017as Anesthesiologist
Age: 36 Labor Day
2013as Officer Treadwell
No poster
Age: 36 The Magic Bracelet
2013as Joe
Age: 35 Backwards
2012as Geoff
Age: 34 Salem Falls
2011as Jack St. Bride
Age: 33 The Big Bang
2011as Adam Nova
Age: 33 Inspired by Bret Easton Ellis
2010as Sean Bateman
Age: 32 Formosa Betrayed
2010as Jake Kelly
Age: 32 Mrs. Miracle
2009as Seth Webster
Age: 32 Taken in Broad Daylight
2009as Tony Zappa
Age: 32 Stolen
2009as Diploma / Roggiani
Age: 30 Eye of the Beast
2007as Dan Leland
Age: 30 Final Draft
2007as Paul Twist
Age: 30 Robot Chicken: Star Wars
2007as Bush's Aide (voice) (archive sound)
Age: 29 The Plague
2006as Tom Russell
Age: 27 Standing Still
2005as Simon
Age: 26 Dawson's Creek - The Series Finale (Extended Cut)
2003as Dawson Leery
Age: 25 The Rules of Attraction
2002as Sean Bateman
Age: 24 Texas Rangers
2001as Lincoln Rogers Dunnison
Age: 24 Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
2001as James Van Der Beek (uncredited)
Age: 23 Scary Movie
2000as Dawson Leary (uncredited)
Age: 22 Harvest
1999as James Peterson
Age: 21 Varsity Blues
1999as Jonathan 'Mox' Moxon
Age: 19 I Love You, I Love You Not
1996as Tony
Age: 18 Angus
1995as Rick Sandford
FR·03
TV credits
Age: 48 Overcompensating
2025as Charlie
Age: 43 Walker
2021as New Neighbour
Age: 43 Home Movie: The Princess Bride
2020as Prince Humperdinck
Age: 41 POSE
2018as Matt
Age: 40 Sea Oak
2017as Mr. Frendt
Age: 40 Vampirina
2017as Boris Hauntley (voice)
Age: 40 What Would Diplo Do?
2017as Diplo
Age: 40 Room 104
2017as Scott
Age: 37 CSI: Cyber
2015as Elijah Mundo
Age: 37 Friends with Better Lives
2014as Will Stokes
Age: 35 Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
2012as James Van Der Beek
Age: 34 Franklin & Bash
2011as Nathan
Age: 32 Modern Family
2009as Bo Johnson
Age: 32 Mercy
2009as Dr. Joe Briggs
Age: 32 The Forgotten
2009as Judd Shaw
Age: 32 The Storm
2009as Dr. Jonathan Kirk
Age: 29 Ugly Betty
2006as Luke Carnes
Age: 28 Criminal Minds
2005as Tobias Hankel
Age: 28 How I Met Your Mother
2005as Simon Tremblay
Age: 27 Medium
2005as Dylan Hoyt
Age: 26 One Tree Hill
2003as Adam Reese
Age: 24 Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001as Rex Tamlyn
Age: 22 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999as Sean Albert
Age: 20 The Panel
1998
Age: 20 Dawson's Creek
1998as Dawson Leery
Age: 20 EP Daily
1997
Age: 19 Aliens in the Family
1996as Ethan
Age: 15 The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Age: 14 Clarissa Explains It All
1991as Paulie