Why James Van Der Beek Made ‘Almost Nothing’ From ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Residuals

After James Van Der Beek’s family revealed that they are “out of funds” in the wake of the actor’s tragic death, the Dawson’s Creek star’s previous comments about his “bad contract” on the hit WB drama have resurfaced.

The actor, who died on Wednesday at the age of 48 following a battle with colorectal cancer, spoke candidly about his finances in a 2012 interview with TODAY.com, revealing that he saw “almost nothing” from playing Dawson Leery from 1998 to 2003.

“There was no residual money,” he said at the time. “I was 20. It was a bad contract. I saw almost nothing from that.”

Van Der Beek said that he had signed on for the show Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23, which premiered that same year, “when the [Dawson’s Creek] money ran out.”

“It is very easy if you have all the money in the world to just sit back and coast. 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,” reasoned the Varsity Blues actor, who shared six children with wife Kimberly Van Der Beek.

Before his death, the Sidelined actor was selling off memorabilia from his past projects to help pay for his cancer treatment, having been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023.

On Wednesday, Kimberly announced that her husband had died more than two years after his diagnosis. Friends of the couple have since helped set up a GoFundMe on behalf of the Van Der Beek family, which has raised more than $1 million in just 24 hours.

“In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future,” the GoFundMe description reads. “The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time. The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead.”