Person

Acting

March 8, 1977 – February 11, 2026

Cheshire, Connecticut, USA

James Van Der Beek

Also known as: James Van Derbeek · James David Van Der Beek

Biography

James Van Der Beek (March 8, 1977 – February 11, 2026) was an American actor best known for his role as Dawson Leary on the television series Dawson's Creek.

Known for

6.4

Movie

Scary Movie

2000

8.1

How I Met Your Mother

2005

8.3

Criminal Minds

2005

8.0

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999

7.9

Modern Family

2009

5.4

Movie

Downsizing

2017

6.4

Movie

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

2001

7.1

Movie

Labor Day

2013

8.3

POSE

2018

7.8

One Tree Hill

2003

7.3

Dawson's Creek

1998

7.5

Medium

2005

Filmography(91)

91 titles across Movies & TV

7.6

Movie

The Gates

2026

7.1

Movie

Sidelined 2: Intercepted

2025

7.2

Overcompensating

2025

6.3

Movie

Sidelined: The QB and Me

2025

4.0

Movie

The Real Full Monty

2024

5.6

The Jennifer Hudson Show

2022

5.6

Movie

Bad Hair

2021

4.7

Fast Foodies

2021

7.1

Walker

2021

All-Time Favorite NFL Players Named by Celebrities, Players, and Coaches

2.0

Movie

All-Time Favorite NFL Players Named by Celebrities, Players, and Coaches

2020

7.7

Home Movie: The Princess Bride

2020

The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU

9.7

Movie

The Paley Center Salutes Law & Order: SVU

2020

5.7

Movie

Jay and Silent Bob Reboot

2019

6.0

Under A Rock with Tig Notaro

2019

7.5

The Masked Singer

2019

8.3

POSE

2018

7.5

What the Fit

2018

6.1

The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale

2018

5.4

Movie

Downsizing

2017

6.4

Sea Oak

2017

6.5

Drop the Mic

2017

6.7

Vampirina

2017

5.9

What Would Diplo Do?

2017

5.7

Room 104

2017

7.0

The $100,000 Pyramid

2016

6.4

Match Game

2016

5.1

The Late Late Show with James Corden

2015

6.1

CSI: Cyber

2015

6.5

Friends with Better Lives

2014

5.1

Late Night with Seth Meyers

2014

5.8

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

2014

7.1

Movie

Labor Day

2013

5.0

Movie

The Magic Bracelet

2013

5.7

Movie

Backwards

2012

7.9

The Eric Andre Show

2012

6.7

Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23

2012

5.3

Movie

Salem Falls

2011

7.3

Franklin & Bash

2011

5.3

Movie

The Big Bang

2011

6.0

Movie

DILF Khakis

2011

6.0

Movie

Van Der Week: Behind the Scenes

2011

6.0

Movie

Vandermemes

2011

6.0

Movie

Asshole for Hire

2011

7.2

Conan

2010

7.0

Movie

Inspired by Bret Easton Ellis

2010

6.0

Movie

Formosa Betrayed

2010

6.0

Movie

Mrs. Miracle

2009

5.2

Movie

Taken in Broad Daylight

2009

5.9

Movie

Stolen

2009

7.9

Modern Family

2009

5.8

Mercy

2009

6.1

The Forgotten

2009

6.4

The Storm

2009

5.0

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

2009

Free Radio

2008

5.0

Movie

Eye of the Beast

2007

3.8

Movie

Final Draft

2007

7.2

Movie

The Robot Chicken: Star Wars

2007

6.4

Ugly Betty

2006

4.9

Movie

The Plague

2006

4.6

Movie

Danny Roane: First Time Director

2006

8.3

Criminal Minds

2005

8.1

How I Met Your Mother

2005

6.1

Dancing with the Stars

2005

7.5

Medium

2005

5.5

Movie

Standing Still

2005

6.4

Movie

Oh, What a Lovely Tea Party

2004

6.3

The Soup

2004

7.8

One Tree Hill

2003

5.3

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

2003

6.2

Movie

The Rules of Attraction

2002

10.0

CMT Music Awards

2002

5.9

Movie

Texas Rangers

2001

7.6

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

2001

6.4

Movie

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

2001

6.4

Movie

Scary Movie

2000

8.0

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999

9.1

Teen Choice Awards

1999

4.3

Movie

Harvest

1999

6.1

Movie

Varsity Blues

1999

7.0

The Panel

1998

7.3

Dawson's Creek

1998

EP Daily

1997

4.3

The View

1997

5.3

Movie

I Love You, I Love You Not

1996

7.0

Aliens in the Family

1996

7.1

TFI Friday

1996

6.6

Movie

Angus

1995

5.4

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1992

7.8

Clarissa Explains It All

1991

6.9

Saturday Night Live

1975