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James Van Der Beek is battling cancer.
On Sunday, November 3, People reported that the Dawson’s Creek star has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer — a cancer that starts in the colon or rectum.
Van Der Beek, 47, told the outlet he is taking action to get well, and shared that his family has been there for him throughout this process. “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis, and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” the Dancing with the Stars alum stated.
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The Varsity Blues actor wed business consultant Kimberly Van Der Beek in 2010. The pair share six children: Olivia, 13, Joshua, 12, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 7, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 2. In 2020, the family left Los Angeles and moved to Austin, Texas.
The Connecticut native was somewhat hopeful about his diagnosis, telling the outlet, “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
Van Der Beek has seemingly been in good spirits as of late. On Friday, November 1, the two-time MTV Movie Award winner posted a carousel on Instagram of him and his family celebrating Halloween. He posted some adorable snaps of his little ones trick-or-treating and a sweet picture of him and his wife dressed up.
In the caption, the Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 actor reflected on his childhood, where he would make his costumes by hand. “I made all my own costumes growing up. Didn’t really have a choice. But I loved it. Should probably have been the first warning sign to my parents that I would end up an actor 😂,” the father of six wrote.
Van Der Beek explained that his daughter Gwendolyn followed in his footsteps by hand making her costume after hers didn’t come in time. “But in a SPIRIT HALLOWEEN world… my six year-old was devastated that her angel costume would not arrive in time for trick-or-treating,” Van Der Beek wrote.
“After acknowledging the tears, she was given the project of making her own halo, which she worked on for HOURS – wrapping yellow yarn around some garden wire. Focused in a way might not have believed possible,” he continued. “And the look of pride on her face upon seeing the final project in the mirror was, for me… my favorite moment of Halloween.”