Rest easy, James 🙏🕊️ James Van Der Beek was an American actor who rose to international fame as the sensitive lead, Dawson Leery, in the iconic teen drama Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003). His film career is highlighted by his breakout role as a high school quarterback in the sports classic Varsity Blues (1999) and a darker, acclaimed performance as Sean Bateman in The Rules of Attraction (2002). Beyond his early heartthrob status, he earned praise for his comedic versatility playing a fictionalized version of himself in Don’t Trust the B-— in Apartment 23 (2012–2013) and was a dedicated advocate for cancer awareness following his diagnosis in 2023. #jamesvanderbeek #dawsonscreek #varsityblues #90s #millennials