James Van Der Beek, an American actor, gained recognition for his role as Dawson Leery on The WB’s Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003). He also appeared as a fictionalized version of himself on the popular ABC sitcom Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 (2012–2013).
James Van Der Beek Bio Details
Full name: James William Van Der Beek
Place of birth: Cheshire, Connecticut, United States
Date of birth: 8 March 1977
Age: 47 years old
Height: 6 ft (183 cm)
Weight: 163 lbs (74 kg)
Eye color: Blue
Hair color: Brown
Education: Cheshire Academy, Drew University
Nationality: American
Zodiac sign: Pisces
Gender: Male
Sexual orientation: Straight
Marital status: Married
Wife: Kimberly Van Der Beek
Mother: Melinda Weber
Father: James William Van Der Beek
Siblings: Jared Van Der Beek, Juliana Van Der Beek
Kids: 6
Profession: American actor
Early Life
James Van Der Beek was raised in Cheshire, New Haven County, Connecticut. His mother, Melinda (née Weber) (1950-2020), was a dancer and gymnastics teacher, while his father, James William Van Der Beek, was an executive at a cellular phone company and a former minor league baseball pitcher. He has Dutch heritage, as his surname means “from the creek”.
At the age of 15, James managed to persuade his mother to take him to New York City to pursue his ambition of becoming a professional actor. He quickly achieved recognition in numerous stage productions, landing roles in off-Broadway shows like “Finding the Sun” and “Rain Dance.”
Career
James Van Der Beek’s professional journey took off during his high school years, securing him parts in movies such as “Angus” and “I Love You, I Love You Not.” He also continued acting in plays like “Shenandoah” and “My Marriage to Ernest Borgnine.”
Although he briefly attended Drew University after graduating from high school, he soon left to focus on pursuing his acting aspirations. He later landed additional film roles, including “Cash Crop.”
In 1997, James Van Der Beek tried out for a part on “Dawson’s Creek” and landed a significant role in the first episode. The pilot was given the green light and ran successfully for six seasons. His rise to fame on television led to opportunities in movies like “Varsity Blues.”
In the following years, he continued to score roles in notable films such as “Texas Rangers,” “Scary Movie,” and “Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.” In 2002, he starred in “The Rules of Attraction,” which eventually gained a dedicated fan base.
Following this, he landed several film roles that were released directly to DVD, and he also guest-starred on popular television series including “Ugly Betty,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Criminal Minds.” In 2008, he secured a recurring role on “One Tree Hill” and later appeared on “Medium.”
James Van Der Beek’s involvement in the independent film “Formosa Betrayed” brought him even more attention, and his career took off again when he was cast in a recurring role on the show “Mercy.”
He also appeared in the film “Stolen” shortly after. In 2011, he gained widespread recognition for portraying a fictionalized version of himself on the Netflix series “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.”
In 2015, he secured a prominent recurring role as Agent Elijah Mundo in “CSI: Cyber.” He also produced and starred in his own series called “What Would Diplo Do?”
Apart from these endeavors, James Van Der Beek lent his voice to the Disney Junior program “Vampirina” and competed in “Dancing with the Stars.”
Wife & Kids
James Van Der Beek and actress Heather Ann McComb were married from 2003 until they separated in April 2009. In the fall of that same year, Van Der Beek initiated divorce proceedings, which were completed and legally enforced in spring 2010.
On August 1, 2010, James Van Der Beek tied the knot with business consultant Kimberly Brook in a small wedding at the Kabbalah Center near Dizengoff Plaza in Tel Aviv, Israel.
From their union, the couple has been blessed with six children, namely Olivia (born September 25, 2010), Joshua (born March 13, 2012), Annabel (born January 25, 2014), Emilia (born March 23, 2016), Gwendolyn (born June 15, 2018), and Jeremiah (born October 2021).
Van Der Beek revealed they had lost a baby in November 2019. After their sixth child was born, he shared that they had suffered two late-term losses. The couple had waited five weeks to announce Jeremiah’s arrival to the public.
Net Worth
James Van Der Beek has an estimated net worth of $10 million and has earned considerable money through his successful acting career. While he is most recognized for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in “Dawson’s Creek,” James has also gained recognition for his various film and TV roles.
