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James Van Der Beek was reportedly writing a memoir prior to his death at age 48.
Sources told Deadline on Wednesday, February 11, that the Dawson’s Creek alum was quietly writing a book amid his lengthy cancer battle. His work on the memoir took place in between production on his final roles — some of which have yet to be released.
Details about the book, including how far he got and any possible posthumous release date, have yet to be announced.
News broke on Wednesday that Van Der Beek died years after being diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer. The actor announced in November 2024 that he had received the diagnosis in August 2023.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” a statement announcing his death, shared via Instagram, read on Wednesday. “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.”
Months before his death it was announced that Van Der Beek would be joining the cast of Prime Video’s Elle, which is set to premiere this summer. He will appear as Dean Wilson, a school superintendent and mayoral candidate.
The show, a prequel to the 2001 movie Legally Blonde, is set to follow a young Elle Woods (played by Lexi Minetree but originated by Reese Witherspoon) as a high school student.
“We learn about the life experiences that shaped her into the iconic young woman we came to know and love in the first Legally Blonde film,” the show’s synopsis reads. “In other words, get ready for the teen years of this legendary lawyer’s story.”
Van Der Beek previously worked with Prime Video on season 1 of Benito Skinner’s Overcompensating, which premiered in May 2025. The streaming service released a statement following Van Der Beek’s death.
“James Van Der Beek began his career as a beloved teen icon, and audiences have connected with his breadth and depth of work ever since. He was a husband, father, consummate professional, and, most recently, a vocal advocate for cancer awareness,” they shared on Tuesday. “We are proud to have worked with him as a creative partner on Overcompensating and the upcoming Elle, where his gift for comedic timing led to memorable performances. We are deeply saddened by his passing and send our heartfelt condolences to his family, his friends, and his many fans.”
Van Der Beek is also set to appear in The Gates, an upcoming thriller which will be released on Friday, March 13. The film’s director, John Burr, shared a statement with Deadline following the actor’s death.
James Van Der Beek was candid about his colorectal cancer battle before his death in 2026. “Each year, approximately 2 billion people around the world receive this diagnosis. And I’m one of them,” the Dawson’s Creek alum shared in an Instagram post at the time, noting that he was “in a good place and feeling […]
Burr sent “sympathy and love” to James’ family, including wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and six kids, Olivia, Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.
“Thank you for granting us the precious time with him that we had,” Burr said. “We were incredibly fortunate to have worked with him on this film. He brought experience and perspective to the role, and he built profound relationships with his fellow cast members and with the crew.”
The director’s statement continued, “While he was deeply dedicated to his performance as the flawed, amoral antagonist of our story, between scenes he effortlessly morphed back into the grounded, charming conversationalist he was at his core.”
Burr recalled texts he shared with James before the actor died.
“His words were filled with energy and punctuated with exclamation points even as his health must have been in decline,” he wrote.
