James Van Der Beek's final project will be released this summer.
Advertisement
The actor, who died at age 48 on Wednesday, had worked last year on a new high-profile TV series.
He has a supporting role in Elle, which is based on the movie franchise Legally Blonde which starred Reese Witherspoon.
The series - which is being produced by Witherspoon - is a prequel starring Lexi Minetree as a young Elle Woods.
Van Der Beek will appear as Dean Wilson, a mayoral candidate and school district superintendent. He shot his scenes in May 2025.
Advertisement
The series is set to premiere on Prime Video on July 1, 2026.
Also starring on the show are Tom Everett Scott of The Summer I Turned Pretty fame and June Diane Raphael, who is best known for her role on Grace And Frankie.
James Van Der Beek's final project will be released this summer. The actor, who died at age 48 on Wednesday, had worked last year on a new high-profile TV series
He has a supporting role in Elle, which is based on the movie franchise Legally Blonde which starred Reese Witherspoon
Van Der Beek died aged 48 after a public two-year battle with colorectal cancer.
Advertisement
The actor's loved ones confirmed his passing in an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday.
It read: 'Our 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. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.'
Jennifer Garner, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lucy Hale, Christie Brinkley and Rumer Willis all hit the like button within minutes.
He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children.
Advertisement
The actor and his wife share daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, nine, and Gwendolyn, seven, as well as sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, four.
A GoFundMe page was launched on Wednesday to help support Van Der Beek's family with $500,000 as a starting ask. Kimberly wrote on her Insta Stories: 'My friends created this link to support me and out children during this time. With gratitude and a broken heart.'
It was added on the page, 'Your generosity will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education.' More than $100,000 was raised within an hour of news of the star's passing.
Van Der Beek announced in November 2024 that he had cancer.
The series is being produced by Witherspoon; seen in 2024 in NYC
Advertisement
The series is a prequel starring Lexi Minetree as a young Elle Woods
His last Instagram post was on January 25 where he looked slender but healthy. He was wishing his daughter and father a happy birthday.
The star had moved from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas with his family in 2020 for a simpler life as they lived on a ranch.
Van Der Beek shot to fame in the 90s as Dawson's Creek teen heartthrob Dawson Leery when he was 20 years old.
The drama ran for six seasons on the WB Network between 1998 and 2003 and also launched the careers of Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson.
Advertisement
His family shared a heartbreaking post about his passing on Wednesday. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lucy Hale, Christie Brinkley and Rumer Willis all hit the like button within minutes
Van Der Beek — who shares six kids with wife Kimberly — revealed his stage three colorectal cancer diagnosis in November 2024; Pictured with his wife and kids in an Instagram snap
A GoFundMe page has been launched to help support Van Der Beek's family with $500,000 as a starting ask. Kimberly wrote on her Insta Stories: 'My friends created this link to support me and out children during this time. With gratitude and a broken heart'
On the show, Katie portrayed Dawson's childhood love, Joey Potter, while Joshua played their other friend and Joey's true love, Pacey Witter. Michelle completed the core group as the rebellious Jen Lindley.
Van Der Beek, who was raised in Cheshire, Connecticut, started acting at 13 after suffering a concussion playing football that prevented him from playing for a year on doctor's orders.
Advertisement
He is best known for Dawson's Creek. Seen in 1997 with Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson
He also starred on the sitcom Apartment 23 with Eric Andre as Mark, Michael Blaiklock as Eli, Dreama Walker as June, Krysten Ritter as Chloe and James as himself
Another hit film Van Der Beek made was 1999's Varsity Blues; seen with Angelina Jolie's father Jon Voight
He stuck with theater, landing at 16 in 1994 an off-Broadway role in Finding the Sun by Pulitzer Prize-winner Edward Albee and one of the sons in a revival of Shenandoah at the prestigious Goodspeed Opera House in his home state.
Advertisement
He earned a scholarship to New Jersey´s Drew University but left school early when he got Dawson´s Creek.
In 2024, he returned to campus to accept an honorary degree for his 'selfless service and exemplary commitment to the mission of Drew,' the university said.
His other notable film roles are in 2001's Texas Rangers, 2002's Rules Of Attraction, 2006's The Plague, 2007's Final Draft, 2013's Labor Day, 2017's Downsizing and 2020's Bad Hair.
He also popped up on the TV shows One Tree Hill, Mercy, Law & Order: SVU, How I Met Your Mother, Friends With Better Lives, CSI: Cyber, Pose, Vampirina and Overcompensating.