A Beloved Star Has Passed Away At 48… See more

A Career Beyond Dawson Leery

Although Dawson’s Creek remained closely associated with his name, Van Der Beek never allowed himself to be defined entirely by one character.

He appeared in shows including Criminal Minds, Ugly Betty, One Tree Hill, How I Met Your Mother, CSI: Cyber and Pose. He also took on roles that played with his public image, including a memorable fictionalized version of himself on the comedy series Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23. Los Angeles Times

That willingness to laugh at himself became an important part of his later career. Rather than constantly trying to recreate the success of his teenage years, he embraced unexpected opportunities and explored different sides of his personality as a performer.

A Devoted Family Man

Away from the spotlight, Van Der Beek was devoted to his family.Family

He and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, married in 2010 and shared six children. In the years before his death, family increasingly became one of the most important parts of his public story.