James Vanderbeek was an American actor. Known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery on The WB’s Dawson’s Creek, he also played a fictionalized version of himself on the cult ABC sitcom Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, starred as FBI agent Elijah Mundo on CSI: Cyber, and appeared as Matt Bromley during the first season of the FX drama Pose. He was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World“, and he appeared in several films, including Texas Rangers, Scary Movie, and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, in which he played himself playing Jay opposite Jason Biggs as Silent Bob.
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
He was born on the 8th of March 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, United States.
| Birth Name | James David Van Der Beek Jr. |
| Nickname | Baby James, Beek |
| Date of Birth | 8th of March 1977 |
| Place of Birth | Cheshire, Connecticut, United States |
| Died | On August 31, 2023, Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer; he did not make his diagnosis public until November 2024. On February 11, 2026, Van Der Beek died, at the age of 48. |
| Sun Sign | Pisces |
| Profession | Actor |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Religion | Christianity |
Education
He attended Cheshire Academy in Connecticut. He later studied at Drew University in New Jersey, majoring in English and sociology, but left college to pursue acting full-time in New York.
Family Details
- Father – James William David Van Der Beek Sr. (Cell phone company executive)
- Mother – Melinda Weber (Former Dancer and Gymnastics Teacher)
- Siblings – Jared Van Der Beek (Brother), Juliana Van Der Beek (Sister)
Marital Status
Girlfriend / Spouse
James Vanderbeek has dated –
- – From 2003 until their separation in April 2009, Van Der Beek was married to actress Heather McComb. He filed for divorce later that year, and in 2010, the divorce was finalized.
Physical Statistics
| Height |
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| Weight |
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| Body Measurements |
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| Body Build | Athletic |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Hair Color | Light Brown |
| Shoe Size | 10.5 (US) |
| Dress Size | N/A |
| Sexuality | Straight |
Professional Statistics
Famous For
James is best known for portraying Dawson Leery on the hit teen drama series Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003), which made him a late-1990s television icon. He gained further recognition for his lead role as Jonathan “Mox” Moxon in the football drama Varsity Blues (1999). Van Der Beek is also widely known for parodying himself in the comedy series Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23. His emotional scenes from Dawson’s Creek became one of the internet’s most popular memes. He remains recognized as one of the defining teen stars of his generation.
Television Debut
In 1993, James landed his first role in television by appearing as Paulie, in the series Clarissa Explains It All.
Film Debut
In 1995, Van Der Beek made his feature film debut in Angus in a supporting role before gaining major recognition in Varsity Blues (1999).
James Vanderbeek Net worth
James Vanderbeek has an estimated net worth of $4 million dollars as of 2026.
Social Media Profiles
- Facebook– James Vanderbeek
- Instagram – vanderjames
- X – James Vanderbeek
Some Lesser Known Facts About James Vanderbeek
- James was born in Cheshire, Connecticut. He was of Dutch, German, English, Scots-Irish, and French descent; his surname translates to “from the creek” in Dutch.
- Van played the role of Reuben in his middle school production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. At 15, he asked his mother to take him into New York City to find an agent and pursue professional acting.
- He joined the cast of the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with professional dancer Emma Slater.
- In 1993, he made his professional debut off-Broadway at age 16 in the New York premiere of Edward Albee’s play Finding the Sun with the Signature Theatre Company, playing the role of “Fergus”.
- At 17, while still a student at Cheshire Academy, he performed in the musical Shenandoah at the Goodspeed Opera House, made his feature film debut as a sadistic bully in Angus (1995), and filmed a small role in the independent movie I Love You, I Love You Not (1996).
- He performed at the Vineyard Theater in downtown Manhattan, New York in Nicky Silver’s play My Marriage to Ernest Borgnine, and he played a supporting role in the independent film Cash Crop, which was shot in spring of 1997 and originally titled Harvest before its 2001 release.
- In early 1997, Beek auditioned for three television pilots, including one for the WB series Dawson’s Creek. He won the title role of Dawson Leery, and the show’s 1998 debut became a breakout success that helped establish the network and its cast.
- In 2002, he portrayed Sean Bateman (younger brother of American Psycho protagonist Patrick Bateman) in Roger Avary’s film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s The Rules of Attraction. The film was a box‑office disappointment but later developed a cult following on DVD.
- Van co‑created, wrote, produced, and starred in What Would Diplo Do?, portraying producer and DJ Diplo. It marked his first project as a showrunner. The show debuted on Viceland to positive reviews both for the writing and his performance, was described, “The Veep of DJ Culture” by the L.A. Times and earned a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
- In 2025, Van Der Beek competed on season thirteen of The Masked Singer as “Griffin” whose costume featured wings that opened during performances. Clues referenced his past illness.
- In 2026, he will posthumously appear in the Legally Blonde prequel television series Elle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is James Vanderbeek?
He was an American actor, producer, and writer best known for his breakout role as Dawson Leery on the hit teen drama series Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003).
What is the real name of James Vanderbeek?
His real name is James David Van Der Beek Jr..
What is the age of James Vanderbeek?
He is 48 years old (8th of March 1977).
What is James Vanderbeek Height?
The Height of James is 1.83 m (6′0”).
What is James Vanderbeek Weight?
The Weight of Vanderbeek is 82 kg (181 lbs).
What is the Net worth of James Vanderbeek?
He has an estimated net worth of $4 million dollars as of 2026.
Why is James Vanderbeek Famous?
He is best known for portraying Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, Jonathan Moxon in Varsity Blues, and for playing exaggerated versions of himself in Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.