James Van Der Beek's iconic 'Dawson's Creek' role defined an entire generation of TV

James Van Der Beek, TV’s original teen dreamer, died at 48 after a battle with colorectal cancer. His widow, Kimberly Van Der Beek, shared a joint Instagram statement saying, “He met his final days with courage, faith and grace.” His biggest role, as Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, remained a defining part of his career.

Created by Kevin Williamson and airing for six seasons on the WB, Dawson’s Creek followed Dawson and his friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts. The show averaged about 6 million weekly viewers and helped launch the careers of Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Busy Philipps.

Van Der Beek recalled going from backpacking through Europe at 19 to being “mobbed” by fans as the series took off. He described the ’90s as “kind of crazy,” recounting a signing where he was put in the back of a police car to escape a stampede of teenage fans.

United States, Capeside, Massachusetts

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