Katie Holmes Remembers ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Co-Star James Van Der Beek With Touching Tribute Following His Death

Actress Katie Holmes penned a heartfelt tribute to her “Dawson’s Creek” co-star James Van Der Beek following his death at the age of 48.

On Instagram, Holmes, 47, shared a letter she wrote to Van Der Beek, her longtime friend, who died on Feb. 11 after a three-year battle with Stage 3 colorectal cancer.

“I formed some words with a heavy heart,” Holmes captioned the letter in her post on Wednesday. “This is a lot to process. I am so grateful to have shared in a piece of James’ journey.”

“He is beloved,” she continued, before extending compassion towards his wife. “Kimberly, we love you and will be here always for you and your beautiful children.”

She began her letter by expressing gratitude for Van Der Beek, as the two held years of memories while starring alongside one another on the hit television drama “Dawson’s Creek,” which aired on the WB network from 1998 to 2003.

“James, thank you,” she wrote. “To share a space with your imagination is sacred—breathing the same air in the land of make believe and trusting that each other’s hearts are safe in their expression.”

“These are some of the memories, along with laughter, conversations about life, James Taylor songs—adventures of a unique youth.”

Holmes highlighted the bravery, strength, compassion and selflessness Van Der Beek displayed throughout life with his family, career, and during his final days.

“An appreciation for life and the action taken to live life with the integrity that life is art—creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children—the journey of a hero,” she wrote.

“I mourn this loss with a heart holding the reality of his absence and deep gratitude for his imprint in it.”

The two rose to fame on the teen series, with Van Der Beek playing the title role as Dawson Leery at age 20 and Holmes as his on-and-off-again love interest, Joey Potter, at age 18.

In September of last year, the cast of “Dawson’s Creek” reunited for a charity event in New York City in support of Van Der Beek and the nonprofit organization F Cancer.

Other castmates, including Busy Philipps, Mary-Margaret Humes, Chad Michael Murray, Kerr Smith, and Sasha Alexander, also paid tribute to Van Der Beek with memories of their own.

“James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and he will be forever missed and I don’t know what else to say,” wrote Philipps on Instagram. “I am just so so sad. He was my friend and I loved him and I’m so grateful for our friendship all these years.”

“Rarely am I at a loss for words … today would be the exception,” Humes also wrote on the platform. “James, my gracious warrior, you fought a hard battle against all odds with such quiet strength and dignity. I will always love and admire you for that.”

Van Der Beek revealed his cancer diagnosis to the public in 2024, after privately battling the disease and undergoing treatment since 2023.

He is survived by his wife of 15 years, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children, Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.