Phillips is busy shared words of love for James Van Der Beek after his death at the age of 48.
Phillips, 46, paid tribute to Van Der Beek, who died after a battle with colorectal cancer on Wednesday, 11 February.
“My heart aches for all of us today… everyone who knew James and loved him, anyone who loved his work or had the pleasure of meeting him, all of his dear friends and the community that surrounded him as he fought this disease, especially his parents and his brother and sister,” he captioned the post on Instagram. “But my heart goes out to his wonderful wife Kimberly and their six magical children. I’m going to sponsor something to help and I’ll put a link in my stories. James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and he will be missed forever and I don’t know what else to say. I’m so sad. He was my friend and I loved him so much over the years.”
Phillips’ message comes after the actor’s official Instagram account announced the news of his death.
“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” the statement read alongside a poignant photo of the late actor. “He met his last days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much we can discuss about his wishes, love for humanity and the sanctity of time. Those days will come. For now we ask that we be alone and in peace as we mourn our loving husband, father, son, brother and friend.”
Van Der Beek was pronounced dead at 6:44 a.m. Wednesday, the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed. Us Weekly. A medical technician made a call to the coroner’s office.
Phillips and Van Der Beek met while filming Dawson’s Creek in 2001, when he joined the cast of the 5th and 6th seasons. Since then, they have maintained a close friendship.
In September 2025, Phillips became emotional when he opened up about Dawson’s Creek reunion in New York City, which Michelle Williams organized to benefit the late star in his battle against cancer.
“I was happy about that Kimberly [Van Der Beek] and all the children [were there],” he said referring to his wife and their six children, Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 12, Elilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4. He shed tears when he said “it’s sad” that the actor could not attend the event.
“It was really good,” she said. “James [was] getting more videos and face times and texts and stuff. We just love him so much.”
James talked about feeling anxious about missing the reunion because of “two stomach bugs.”
“You can imagine how angry I was when two stomach bugs conspired to knock me out of work and keep me grounded at the worst possible time,” she wrote on Instagram before the event. “Despite all efforts … I will not be able to be there. I will not be able to stand on that stage and thank all the souls of the theater for showing up for me, and fighting cancer, when I needed it most.”
James announced his stage 3 diagnosis in November 2024 during an interview with People. “I was dealing with this disease in private and I was taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my wonderful family,” she said. “There is reason to be optimistic, and I feel good.”
James Van Der Beek has died at the age of 48 after a public battle with cancer. “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” a statement posted on the actor’s Instagram on Wednesday, February 11, read. “There is much we can discuss about his wishes, […]
He also told the publication that “he has a lot to live for.”
“I thought, ‘This is going to get me out of the body, or it’s going to teach me how to truly live in it,'” James said.
As of March 2025, James was optimistic about his diagnosis, he said More to “see the finish line.” He added that he is “in the healing phase.”
