Joshua Jackson broke his silence on the loss of life of his Dawson’s Creek costar James Van Der Beek almost one month after he died at age 48.
Jackson, 47, mentioned Van Der Beek’s loss of life throughout a Tuesday, March 10, look on the Immediately present. When host Craig Melvin requested whether or not Jackson had processed the loss, the actor defined that it’s a piece in progress.
“I feel it hits in a wide range of alternative ways, and so for me, as a father now, I feel the enormity of that tragedy for his household hits me in a really completely different approach than simply as a colleague, so I feel processing is ongoing,” he mentioned.
“He and I shared this wonderful time the place that (Dawson’s Creek) clip comes from at a really younger level in our life and it was formational for us, and I do know each of us look again on that point with nice fondness,” Jackson continued. “However I may also say that I do know that I’m actually only a footnote in what he truly achieved in his life. … He turned what we used to only name a very good man, a person of the sort of perception, the sort of religion that allowed him to face the unattainable with grace — an unbelievable associate and husband, only a actual man who confirmed up for his household, and an exquisite, sort, curious, , devoted father. And so whereas on the one hand, that’s lovely, and I feel he did lead an excellent life and he was a very good man, the tragedy of that for his household is big.”
Jackson was available to debate his partnership with AstraZeneca, which inspires individuals to get common most cancers screenings. The Affair alum defined that his option to associate with the corporate was impressed by his circle of relatives historical past of most cancers in addition to his expertise of watching Van Der Beek, a peer, obtain a analysis.
Dawson’s Creekwhich aired from 1998 to 2003, adopted a close-knit group of teenagers navigating their approach by way of Capeside Excessive Faculty and faculty — with Pacey (Jackson) and Dawson (Van Der Beek) discovering themselves in an ongoing love triangle with Joey (Katie Holmes.)
Information broke on February 11 that Van Der Beek died after a battle with most cancers. He’s survived by his spouse, Kimberly Van Der Beekand their six youngsters.
Joshua Jackson, James Van Der Beek.
Everett Assortment“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek handed peacefully this morning,” Kimberly wrote through Instagram on the time. “He met his remaining days with braveness, religion, and charm. There’s a lot to share relating to his needs, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. These days will come. For now we ask for peaceable privateness as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and pal.”
Van Der Beek initially shared his analysis with colorectal most cancers in 2024.
“Annually, roughly 2 billion individuals around the globe obtain this analysis. And I’m considered one of them,” he shared in an Instagram publish on the time, noting that he was “in a very good place and feeling sturdy” whereas present process remedy.
Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes leaned on one another for help as they took their remaining bows following the Dawson’s Creek reunion. Jackson and Holmes, who portrayed Pacey Witter and Joey Potter, respectively, on the WB sequence, might be seen holding arms and putting their heads on one another’s shoulders as they wrapped up their (…)
Jackson, for his half, supported his former costar on the Dawson’s Creek reunion in September 2025 alongside a number of members of the present’s solid to lift cash for F Most cancers. Van Der Beek, in the meantime, shared he wouldn’t be in attendance on the occasion as a result of he was battling an sickness.
“That is the night I’d been wanting ahead to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams mentioned she was placing it collectively, approach again in January… So you possibly can think about how gutted I used to be when two abdomen viruses conspired to knock me out of fee and preserve me grounded on the worst doable second,” he wrote through Instagram on the time. “Regardless of each effort… I received’t get to be there. I received’t get to face on that stage and thank each soul within the theater for exhibiting up for me, and towards most cancers, once I wanted it most.”
Months earlier than the reunion, Van Der Beek made headlines when he shared that the Dawson’s Creek solid didn’t converse for years after the beloved sequence got here to an finish.
“It’s simply been so nice to speak to them and meet up with, like, who they’re now this a few years out and to have that shared expertise from again within the day,” he mentioned on the “Whine Down” podcast in March 2025. “It’s simply so beautiful each time I get to meet up with considered one of them.”
He continued, “All of us went our separate methods and simply didn’t converse for years as a result of we had been simply residing our lives and doing our issues. And to only sort of reconnect and be like, ‘Oh, wow, I like who you’ve turn out to be.’”