LOS ANGELES — Katie Holmes has paid an emotional public tribute to her former Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek, remembering him as “beloved” and praising what she described as his compassion and strength in the wake of his death at 48.

Van Der Beek, who became a defining face of late-1990s teen television as Dawson Leery, died on February 11, 2026, after a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer, according to entertainment outlets reporting on the family’s announcement. His passing prompted an outpouring of grief from colleagues and fans who grew up watching the WB drama, which ran from 1998 to 2003 and launched the careers of its central cast.

Holmes, who played Joey Potter, shared her farewell in a handwritten note posted to Instagram, a personal format that underscored the intimacy of the message. In it, she reflected on their shared years on set and framed Van Der Beek’s final stretch as “the journey of a hero,” a line echoed in multiple reports covering her post. She also extended support to his wife, Kimberly, and their six children, aligning her tribute with the broader wave of messages that emphasized Van Der Beek’s identity not only as a television star but as a devoted family man.

The tribute quickly resonated with longtime viewers, in part because it reconnected Van Der Beek’s public legacy with the private relationships forged during the show’s peak. The Dawson’s Creek cast has been widely described as unusually close for a long-running series, and Holmes’ message leaned into that history—reframing the show’s cultural footprint as something rooted in genuine bonds rather than nostalgia alone.

Holmes was not alone. Other cast members and the series itself issued statements remembering Van Der Beek’s impact, with tributes describing him as a generous presence and crediting him with helping define a particular era of television storytelling. The Hollywood Reporter and other outlets similarly noted how quickly the condolences spread, driven by both the show’s enduring fan base and Van Der Beek’s reputation within the industry.

The timing of Holmes’ message—public, immediate, and handwritten—also reflected how celebrities increasingly use direct posts to bypass formal press statements. In this case, the simplicity appeared to be the point: a short, personal remembrance meant to honor a colleague without turning grief into performance.

Van Der Beek’s death has also renewed attention on colorectal cancer, particularly its rising profile among younger adults, a concern highlighted in recent reporting tied to his case and other high-profile diagnoses.

For fans of Dawson’s Creek, Holmes’ note served as both farewell and time capsule—a reminder that, behind a series that shaped a generation’s TV adolescence, the cast carried real friendships into adulthood. And for Holmes, the message read as something more direct: a final acknowledgement of a shared beginning, and a promise that Van Der Beek’s family will not be left to grieve alone.