James Van Der Beek Shares Ongoing Cancer Battle Update: ‘A Full-Time Job’

James Van Der Beek has played many roles in his life. He’s been an iconic teen heartthrob, an angsty aspiring filmmaker, a varsity quarterback, and now, a father of six. But nothing could prepare the “Dawson’s Creek” star for the role he didn’t audition for. 

In 2023, the actor announced he was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer at age 46. Van Der Beek revealed the news came as a shock to him and his family due to him being relatively healthy. Now at 48, he revealed he is navigating a journey that he admits is likely “a process for the rest of my life.”

“I thought I was way ahead of the game,” he told Today.com in an interview published July 30, 2025. “I ate as well as I could; I was healthy. I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. There was no reason in my mind that I should have gotten a positive diagnosis.”

The diagnosis came after subtle changes in his bowel movements, which he had initially blamed on coffee. But after eliminating creamer and switching routines without results, Van Der Beek went in for a colonoscopy. Unfortunately, he got blindsided by the news.

‘Between Action & Cut, Cancer Doesn’t Exist’

Since publicly revealing his diagnosis, Van Der Beek has made it a mission to raise awareness about colorectal cancer, especially as rates rise in adults under 50.

“I got screened at 46. I didn’t realize they had dropped the recommended age to 45,” he explained. “Even just the slightest little change, it could be something… Don’t think that not having symptoms means you don’t have to get screened.”

Despite the gravity of his condition, Van Der Beek has continued to work and even found moments of escape in it. He recently wrapped a role in “Elle,” the “Legally Blonde” prequel series.

“The greatest thing about work is that cancer doesn’t exist between action and cut,” he said. “It was fun to drop in and just have a blast… It’s such a great cast, a great production.”

But when the cameras aren’t rolling, reality sets back in.

“I had to come nose to nose with death,” he said candidly in a March 2025 Instagram post. “I could no longer be a husband that was helpful to my wife. I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed. I could not be a provider because I wasn’t working.”

A New Role: Advocate & Survivor

Now a spokesperson for Guardant Health, a company that offers FDA-approved blood tests for early colon cancer detection, Van Der Beek is using his platform for good.

He’s already seeing the impact, too! “Guys I see at the gas station, people come up to me at a coffee shop… ‘I got checked, I got a colonoscopy, I got a polyp removed,’” he recalled, telling Today. “That’s been stuff that really makes me cry… just to save somebody that journey.”

Van Der Beek, who is a proud father, shares six children with his wife Kimberly: Olivia, 14; Joshua, 13; Annabel, 11; Emilia, 9; Gwendolyn, 7; and Jeremiah, 3. He has also restructured his day-to-day life to prioritize healing.

Think more yoga, more peace, and a little less hustle. “There’s a beauty in just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest—and really allowing that to be the job,” he said.

The battle is far from over, but Van Der Beek is embracing the fight with grit, gratitude, and even a bit of grace. “I meditated and the answer came through,” he wrote on Instagram. “I am worthy of God’s love simply because I exist. And if I’m worthy of God’s love, shouldn’t I also be worthy of my own?”

It’s clear that the actor, despite being a difficult and scary position, isn’t stopping. He’s surviving. And if he has anything to do with it, he’s bringing the rest of us along, one screening at a time.

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