James Van Der Beek Sells Memorabilia to Fund Cancer Battle

LOS ANGELES, CA — James Van Der Beek is auctioning off memorabilia from his famous roles in “Dawson's Creek” and “Varsity Blues” to support his fight against advanced colorectal cancer. The 48-year-old actor announced the sale, stating, “I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them, and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it’s clear that the time is now.”

Van Der Beek received a stage 3 cancer diagnosis earlier this year, revealing that he has been managing the illness privately. He expressed that he finds it helpful to share his experiences publicly. The items he is parting with include the necklace his character, Dawson Leery, gifted to Joey Potter, played by Katie Holmes, for prom. Other notable pieces are the white outfit from the show’s pilot and the flannel shirt he wore throughout the series, which ran from 1998 to 2003.

Additionally, the auction features black-and-white Reebok cleats and a West Canaan Coyotes cap worn by Van Der Beek as the high school quarterback Mox in the 1999 film “Varsity Blues.” All proceeds from the auction will reportedly help cover his medical expenses.

Van Der Beek currently resides on a ranch in Texas with his wife, Kimberly, and their six children: Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 9, Gwen, 7, and Jeremiah, 4. The family relocated from California in 2020.

Recently, Van Der Beek missed a reunion event in New York City with his fellow “Dawson’s Creek” castmates, including Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams, due to illness from two stomach viruses. The event featured a live read-through of the show’s first episode, with Lin-Manuel Miranda stepping in as a last-minute replacement for Van Der Beek.

In a video that played during the live performance, Van Der Beek expressed his disappointment, stating, “I have been looking forward to this night for months and months. I can’t believe I’m not there.”