The late actor's family is currently struggling to pay for the costs of his cancer battle. They are accepting donations via a GoFundMe set up for them. James Van Der Beek said years before his death he got 'almost nothing' from Dawson's Creek residuals The late actor's family is currently struggling to pay for the costs of his cancer battle. They are accepting donations via a GoFundMe set up for them. By Sydney Bucksbaum :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/headshotb5dc24df8d5d43d1a16c9ce0e0383119.jpg) Sydney Bucksbaum Sydney Bucksbaum is a staff writer at .

The late actor's family is currently struggling to pay for the costs of his cancer battle. They are accepting donations via a GoFundMe set up for them.

James Van Der Beek said years before his death he got 'almost nothing' from Dawson's Creek residuals

The late actor's family is currently struggling to pay for the costs of his cancer battle. They are accepting donations via a GoFundMe set up for them.

By Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum is a staff writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2019 and is a published author. Her work has previously appeared in *TV Guide Magazine*, E! News/E! Online, *The Hollywood Reporter*, Mashable, Bustle, IGN, DCComics.com, Inverse, *The Daily Northwestern*, and more.

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February 12, 2026 5:52 p.m. ET

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James Van Der Beek on 'Dawson's Creek'. Credit:

Warner Bros./Everett Collection

James Van Der Beek previously opened up about how he got "almost nothing" from *Dawson's Creek *residuals, which helps explain why his family is currently struggling financially in the wake of his death.

"There was no residual money," Van Der Beek told TODAY.com in 2012. "I was 20. It was a bad contract. I saw almost nothing from that."

Van Der Beek starred as the titular teen on *Dawson's Creek* for all six seasons, from 1998 through 2003. He revealed in that same 2012 interview that he decided to star in* Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 *"when the [*Dawson's Creek*] money ran out," and he realized he needed to "buckle down" and sign on to projects to provide for his wife, Kimberly, and six children.**

"It is very easy if you have all the money in the world to just sit back and coast," Van Der Beek said at the time. "But if you realized that you are going to have to start providing for yourself and for your family, it really forces you to buckle down."

Michelle Williams, James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, and Joshua Jackson on 'Dawson's Creek'.

Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Kimberly announced Van Der Beek died Wednesday at age 48 after battling stage 3 colorectal cancer.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning," said her statement, which she shared on his social media accounts. "He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend."

According to the CDC, colorectal cancer has the second-highest treatment cost of any cancer, amounting to 11.6 percent of all cancer treatment costs. In addition, individual patient costs are the highest for the last year of life ($110,100 on average).

What James Van Der Beek said about his battle with cancer before his death

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Friends set up a GoFundMe that same day on behalf of the family detailing the "significant financial strain" of Van Der Beek's medical costs and the "uncertain future" for his wife and six children in the wake of his death.

In just one day, nearly $1.8 million had been raised to pay for the family's essential living expenses, bills, the children's education, and to "stay in their home."

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Before his death, Van Der Beek spent months auctioning off items from some of his most iconic roles, including *Dawson's Creek* and *Varsity Blues,* to help pay for his medical care.

"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," the actor told PEOPLE in November 2025. "While I have some nostalgia tugging at me as I part with these items, it feels good to be able to offer them through Propstore's auction to share with those who have supported my work over the years."**

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