James Van Der Beek | |
|---|---|
 Van Der Beek atGalaxyCon Oklahoma City in 2025 | |
| Born | James David Van Der Beek (1977-03-08)March 8, 1977 (age 48) Cheshire, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Education | Cheshire Academy |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 6 |
James David Van Der Beek[1] (/ˈvændərˌbiːk/;[2] born March 8, 1977)[3] is an American actor. Known for his portrayal ofDawson Leery onThe WB'sDawson's Creek (1998–2003), he also played a fictionalized version of himself on the cultABC sitcomDon't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012–2013), starred onCSI: Cyber as FBI AgentElijah Mundo (2015–2016), and appeared as Matt Bromley on the first season of theFX dramaPose (2018).
His film credits includeVarsity Blues (1998),Texas Rangers (2001),The Rules of Attraction (2002),Formosa Betrayed (2009),Labor Day (2013), andBad Hair (2020).
James David Van Der Beek was born on March 8, 1977 inCheshire, Connecticut, the son of Melinda (née Weber; 1950–2020),[4] a dancer and gymnastics teacher, and husband James William Van Der Beek, acellular phone company executive and former minor leaguebaseball pitcher. He is ofDutch,German,English,Scots-Irish, andFrench descent; his last name translates to "from the creek" inDutch.[5][6]
Van Der Beek played the role of Reuben in his middle school production ofJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. At the age of 15, he asked his mother to take him intoNew York City to get an agent and try his hand in professional acting. He made his professional debutoff-Broadway at age 16 in 1993 in the New York premiere ofEdward Albee's playFinding the Sun with theSignature Theatre Company. He played the role of "Fergus". Both he and the production, which was also directed by Albee, received positive reviews.[7][8] A decade later, in 2003, he appeared again off-Broadway, briefly, in the playRain Dance.
At 17, while still in high school atCheshire Academy, he performed in the musicalShenandoah at theGoodspeed Opera House, made his feature film debut as a sadistic bully inAngus (1995) and shot a small role in the independent filmI Love You, I Love You Not (1996).
He attendedDrew University on an academic scholarship, where he participated in an all-male a cappella group,[9] but he left the university whenDawson's Creek started production.[10] He performed at theVineyard Theater in New York inNicky Silver's play,My Marriage to Ernest Borgnine, and he played a supporting role in the independent filmCash Crop, which was originally shot in spring of 1997 and originally titledHarvest until released in 2001.[11]
In early 1997, Van Der Beek auditioned for threetelevision pilots. One of them was forThe WB showDawson's Creek. Van Der Beek won the title role of Dawson Leery, and the show's 1998 debut was a success that helped to establish the network and its cast. The series ran for six seasons and was syndicated worldwide. In 1999, he starred in the teen football dramaVarsity Blues, which held the number 1 spot at the U.S. box office for its first two weeks.[12] He won anMTV Movie Award for his role.
Around this time he was selected one ofPeople magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World", and he appeared in several other films, includingTexas Rangers,Scary Movie, andJay & Silent Bob Strike Back, playing himself playingJay in the film within the film oppositeJason Biggs asSilent Bob.[citation needed] In 2002, he playedSean Bateman (younger brother ofAmerican Psycho protagonistPatrick Bateman) in thefilm adaptation of the novelThe Rules of Attraction byBret Easton Ellis, written and directed byRoger Avary. The film was an initial box office failure but found a cult following on DVD.[13]
In 2006, he appeared on theDirect-to-DVD thrillerThe Plague, which was produced byClive Barker and was panned by critics. AfterDawson's Creek ended in 2003, he returned to off-Broadway, inLanford Wilson'sRain Dance. He completed an unproduced screenplay titledWinning. Since then, he made a few appearances on television, including a role onUgly Betty. In 2007, he guest-starred in a two-part episode of the seriesCriminal Minds, playing aserial killer withdissociative identity disorder called Tobias Hankel who kidnaps and drugs one of the main characters,Spencer Reid. In 2008, he made a guest appearance onHow I Met Your Mother, in which he played Simon Tremblay, one ofRobin Scherbatsky’s (Cobie Smulders) former boyfriends. He returned for two more episodes in 2013.[14]
In 2008, he began a recurring role onOne Tree Hill as a filmmaker who was largely the satirical opposite of Dawson Leery. He appeared in an episode of the fifth season ofMedium. In 2009, he portrayed real life kidnapper Anthony Steven "Tony Zappa" Wright in theLifetime network television filmTaken In Broad Daylight.[citation needed] In 2009, he won Best Actor at the 8th Annual San Diego Film Festival for his portrayal of FBI agent Jake Kelly working inTaiwan in the political thrillerFormosa Betrayed, which also won Best Picture. The film was distributed theatrically in the United States starting February 26, 2010.[15]
On January 5, 2010, TVGuide.com confirmed that Van Der Beek had been cast in a major recurring role on the television seriesMercy. He played Dr. Joe Briggs, the new womanizing ICU chief who harbors a dark secret.[16] He starred alongsideRhona Mitra,Josh Lucas, andJon Hamm in the Anders Anderson thriller filmStolen.[17]
In 2011, he portrayedKesha's nemesis in her music video for "Blow".[18] He portrayed a fictionalized version of himself on the television seriesDon't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. The show debuted to critical praise, with Van Der Beek earning particularly good notices for his comic timing and sendup of his own image.[19] The show was cancelled after two seasons; the series streamed on Netflix and reruns aired onLogo TV.
On March 4, 2015, he began his role as Senior Field Agent Elijah Mundo onCSI: Cyber. In 2017, Van Der Beek appeared in the British comedy seriesCarters Get Rich.[20] He made a cameo in the filmDownsizing (2017), starringMatt Damon, and voices Boris Hauntley in theDisney Junior showVampirina.[21][22][23]
As a writer, Van Der Beek co-created, wrote, produced and starred inWhat Would Diplo Do?, in which he portrays producer and DJDiplo. It was Van Der Beek's first foray as a showrunner of a series. The show debuted onViceland to positive reviews, both for the writing and Van Der Beek's performance,[24] was called, "The Veep of DJ Culture" by theL.A. Times[25] and scored 90% onRotten Tomatoes[26]
In 2019, Van Der Beek was cast in the drama seriesPose as Matt Bromley[27] onFX, a role he played for one season.[28]
Van Der Beek joined the cast ofthe 28th season ofDancing with the Stars. He was paired with professional dancerEmma Slater. A surprisingly good dancer,[29] Van Der Beek was consistently scored in the top spot and favored to win until he was eliminated in the semi-finals, finishing in fifth place. That night, he revealed that his wife, Kimberly, had suffered a miscarriage forty-eight hours prior. The judges scored him lowest, and then, in a decision that was controversial with fans, was eliminated.[30][31][32]
In 2025, Van Der Beek competed onseason thirteen ofThe Masked Singer as "Griffin" which featured wings that spread open at some points during his performances. There was a reference to Van Der Beek's illness in the clues. He was eliminated in the "Group B Finals:Grand Ole Opry Night". As an added bonus,Nick Cannon surprised Van Der Beek by bringing his wife Kimberly Brook and their children out.[33]
Van Der Beek was married to actressHeather McComb from 2003 until their separation in April 2009.[34] Van Der Beek filed for divorce later that year;[35] the divorce was finalized later in 2010.[36]
Van Der Beek married business consultant Kimberly Brook on August 1, 2010, in a small ceremony at the Kabbalah Center nearDizengoff Square inTel Aviv, Israel.[37][38] The couple has six children: four daughters (born 2010,[39][40] 2014,[41][42] 2016,[43][44] and 2018[45]) and two sons.[46] He has spoken about a miscarriage Brook suffered in November 2019,[47] just a month after announcing she was pregnant.[48] On November 22, 2021, following the birth of their sixth child, he disclosed that she had actually suffered two miscarriages at 17 weeks or later.[49] In September 2020, he and Brook announced that they were leaving Los Angeles and moving toTexas.[50]
On August 31, 2023, Van Der Beek was diagnosed withcolorectal cancer; he did not make his diagnosis public until November 2024. He stated that he has "been privately dealing with this diagnosis and [has] been taking steps to resolve it" with the support of his family.[51] In November 2025, Van Der Beek announced he would be auctioning items fromDawson's Creek andVarsity Blues in efforts to assist with costs associated with his cancer treatment.[52]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Clarissa Explains It All | Paulie | Episode: "Alter Ego" |
| 1995 | As the World Turns | Stephen Anderson | 3 episodes |
| 1996 | Aliens in the Family | Ethan | Episode: "You Don't Have a Pet to Be Popular" |
| 1998–2003 | Dawson's Creek | Dawson Leery | Main cast; 122 episodes |
| 2006 | Robot Chicken | Various Voices | 2 episodes |
| 2007 | Criminal Minds | Tobias Hankel / Raphael | |
| Ugly Betty | Luke Carnes | Episode: "Grin and Bear It" | |
| Eye of the Beast | Dan Leland | Television film | |
| 2008–2013 | How I Met Your Mother | Simon | 3 episodes |
| 2008–2009 | One Tree Hill | Adam Reese | 4 episodes |
| 2009 | Medium | Dylan Hoyt | Episode: "All in the Family" |
| The Storm | Dr. Jonathan Kirk | Miniseries; 2 episodes | |
| The Forgotten | Judd Shaw | Episode: "Lucky John" | |
| Taken in Broad Daylight | Anthony Steven "Tony Zappa" Wright | Television film | |
| Mrs. Miracle | Seth Webster | ||
| 2010 | Mercy | Dr. Joe Briggs | 10 episodes |
| 2011 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Rex Tamlyn | Episode: "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" |
| Franklin & Bash | Nathan | Episode: "Bachelor Party" | |
| Salem Falls | Jack St. Bride | Television film | |
| 2012–2013 | Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 | James Van Der Beek | Main cast; 26 episodes |
| 2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Sean Albert | Episode: "Father Dearest" |
| 2013 | The Eric André Show | James Van Der Beek/Team Go! Member #2 | Episode 2 : "James Van Der Beek / Steve-O", "Lauren Conrad; Reese Witherspoon" |
| 2014 | Friends with Better Lives | Will Stokes | Main cast; 13 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | CSI: Cyber | Elijah Mundo | Main cast |
| 2017 | Carters Get Rich | Trent Zebrisky | |
| What Would Diplo Do? | Diplo | Co-creator, writer | |
| Room 104 | Scott | Episode: "Pizza Boy" | |
| 2017–2021 | Vampirina | Boris Hauntley (voice) | Main cast |
| 2017 | Modern Family | Bo Johnson | Episode: "No Small Feet" |
| Drop the Mic | Himself | Episode: "James Van Der Beek vs.Randall Park /Gina Rodriguez vs.Rob Gronkowski" | |
| 2018 | Pose | Matt Bromley | Main cast (season 1) |
| 2019 | Dancing with the Stars | Himself | Season 28 |
| 2020 | 25 Words or Less | Game Show | |
| 2024 | We Are Family | Himself with oldest daughter Olivia | Season finale |
| 2025 | The Masked Singer | Himself/Griffin | Season 13 contestant |
| Overcompensating | Charlie | 2 episodes[53] | |
| 2026 | Elle | Dean Wilson | Filming |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Angus | Rick Sandford | |
| 1996 | I Love You, I Love You Not | Tony | |
| 1998 | Harvest | James Peterson | |
| 1999 | Varsity Blues | Jonathon "Mox" Moxon | |
| 2000 | Scary Movie | Dawson Leery | Uncredited |
| 2001 | Texas Rangers | Ranger Lincoln Rogers Dunnison | |
| Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Himself | ||
| 2002 | The Rules of Attraction | Sean Bateman | |
| 2003 | Castle in the Sky | Pazu | Voice; English dub produced in 1998 byDisney |
| 2005 | Standing Still | Simon | |
| 2006 | The Plague | Tom Russell | Direct-to-video |
| 2007 | Final Draft | Paul Twist | |
| 2009 | Formosa Betrayed | Jake Kelly | |
| Stolen | Diploma / Roggiani | ||
| 2010 | The Big Bang | Adam Nova | |
| 2012 | Backwards | Geoff | |
| 2013 | The Magic Bracelet | Joe | Short film |
| Labor Day | Officer Treadwell | ||
| 2015 | Power/Rangers | Rocky DeSantos / Red Ranger | Short film,screenwriter |
| 2017 | Downsizing | Anesthesiologist | |
| 2019 | Jay and Silent Bob Reboot | Himself | |
| 2020 | Bad Hair | Grant | |
| 2024 | Sidelined: The QB and Me | Leroy Lahey | Tubi original |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Varsity Blues | Best Breakthrough Male Performance | Won |
| 2001 | Scary Movie | Best Cameo in a Movie | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Dawson's Creek | Choice TV Actor | Nominated |
| Varsity Blues | Choice Movie Breakout Star | Won | |
| 2012 | Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 | Choice TV: Male Scene Stealer | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Varsity Blues | Favorite Actor – Newcomer (Internet Only) | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Formosa Betrayed | Best Actor | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | JamesVanDerMemes.com[55] | OMG Internet Award | Won |
…actor James Van Der Beek in 1977 (age 43)
his rep tellsPeople exclusively.
[graphical text image] Annabel
Had my first son this morning.... James Van Der Beek (@vanderjames) March 13, 2012
