Hollywood has suffered so many losses this year. It hasn’t been easy on Gen X as more and more actors from their childhood passed away. Fans are still grieving for Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek and suffered another huge loss after the shocking news of Heroes cheerleader Hayden Panettiere’s death. But a sad reality is that life doesn’t stop when we lose a loved one. James Van Der Beek’s widow revealed she’s “in love” six months after his death. Keep reading for all the details.
James Van Der Beek Gained Fame In Teen Drama
Fox’s teen drama, Beverly Hills 90210, changed primetime television forever. The fledgling WB Network wanted to recreate that magic and ratings. Dawson’s Creek premiered in 1998 with James Van Der Beek as the show’s lead character. The teen drama followed the coming-of-age story of Dawson Leery and his close friend group. The show was a monster hit and launched the careers of Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Joshua Jackson.
James Van Der Beek went on to star in movies like Varsity Blues. However, he never really achieved the same success as his co-stars. He joined Season 28 of Dancing With The Stars in 2018. His wife, Kimberly, suffered a miscarriage during his time on the reality competition. However, she insisted he continue with the show.
The couple suffered another heartbreaking miscarriage before welcoming their sixth child in 2021. The actor went public in 2024 with his battle with cancer. He was diagnosed in 2023 with stage 3 colorectal cancer. James Van Der Beek passed away in February 2026.
James Van Der Beek’s Widow ‘In Love’ Six Months After His Death
James Van Der Beek allegedly left his wife and kids with little money. Despite starring on one of the biggest shows in television, he didn’t earn many residuals from Dawson’s Creek. The family moved to Texas in 2020, though he continued acting. His last role was in Prime Video’s Legally Blonde prequel, Elle.
James Van Der Beek met his second wife, Kimberly, in 2009 when they happened to be in Israel at the same time. They got married a year later and welcomed their six kids: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.
Kimberly Van Der Beek took to social media with a heartbreaking revelation that she still sees her late husband all the time. “Grateful I get to see him live through these cuties,” she wrote on a photo of their six children. The post was on Instagram Stories, which automatically deletes after a few hours.
But PEOPLE magazine shared the contents of the rest of the message. “Update… it’s been six months. I’m still in love. And realizing I always will be,” James Van Der Beek’s widow wrote. Some people who’ve lost their spouses remarry quickly out of loneliness. However, it sounds like Kimberly Van Der Beek can’t imagine loving anyone but her late husband.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger