‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Emma Slater Mourns Season 28 Partner James Van Der Beek Following His Death

Dancing With the Stars pro Emma Slater is mourning the death of her Season 28 partner.

It was announced on Wednesday that Dawson’s Creek and Varsity Blues star James Van Der Beek had died following a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.

Van Der Beek competed on Season 28 of the long-running dancing competition series with Slater in 2019, and the two came in fifth place after being eliminated during the semifinals. After the late actor’s wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced the news on Instagram, Slater shared a heartfelt tribute to her former partner and friend in the comments.

“I’m so devastated. He is and will always be family to me,” she wrote. “love you so much James. The man that you are, you can be proud of. So grateful that I got to be there to say goodbye to you.”

The official DWTS account also made a statement, writing, “James brought passion, vulnerability, and determination to the ballroom and connected deeply with audiences through his journey on Dancing with the Stars. He will always be part of our Dancing family. We are heartbroken to hear about his passing and send our sincerest condolences to his family and loved ones.”

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Tributes have been pouring in for the beloved actor, from devastated Dawson’s Creek fans to celebrities who knew him and knew of him. Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023 and revealed the diagnosis in November 2024. He had been keeping people updated since then, staying positive and optimistic about his treatments. Just last fall, he was set to reunite with the Dawson’s Creek cast for a reading of the pilot script benefitting him and F Cancer, but he had to drop out due to a sudden illness.

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning,” Kimberly Van Der Beek wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. “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.”

James and Kimberly Van Der Beek got married in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2010 and share six children together.