History of James Van Der Beek in Timeline
James Van Der Beek is an American actor best known for his role as Dawson Leery in the popular teen drama "Dawson's Creek" (1998-2003). Beyond this iconic role, he has also played a fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" (2012-2013), portrayed FBI Agent Elijah Mundo in "CSI: Cyber" (2015-2016), and appeared as Matt Bromley in the first season of "Pose" (2018). His career spans both comedic and dramatic roles, showcasing his versatility as an actor.
1950: Birth of Melinda Weber
James Van Der Beek's mother, Melinda Weber, was born in 1950.
March 8, 1977: Birth of James Van Der Beek
James Van Der Beek was born on March 8, 1977.
1993: Off-Broadway Debut
James Van Der Beek made his professional acting debut off-Broadway in "Finding the Sun" in 1993.
1995: Film Debut in Angus
James Van Der Beek made his feature film debut in "Angus" in 1995.
1996: Role in I Love You, I Love You Not
James Van Der Beek had a small role in the film "I Love You, I Love You Not" in 1996.
1997: Dawson's Creek Audition
In early 1997, James Van Der Beek auditioned for the role of Dawson Leery in "Dawson's Creek."
1997: Cash Crop Filming and Various Projects
James Van Der Beek filmed "Cash Crop" (originally titled "Harvest") in 1997 and participated in other projects.
1998: Dawson's Creek Premiere and Success
"Dawson's Creek" premiered in 1998 and became a successful series, boosting the WB Network and its cast.
1998: Varsity Blues Release
James Van Der Beek starred in the film "Varsity Blues" in 1998.
1998: Dawson's Creek Debut
James Van Der Beek's breakout role as Dawson Leery in "Dawson's Creek" premiered in 1998.
1999: Varsity Blues Box Office Success and MTV Movie Award
In 1999, "Varsity Blues" topped the U.S. box office, and James Van Der Beek won an MTV Movie Award for his role.
2001: Cash Crop Release
The film "Cash Crop," starring James Van Der Beek, was released in 2001.
2001: Texas Rangers Release
The film "Texas Rangers," starring James Van Der Beek, was released in 2001.
2002: The Rules of Attraction and Other Roles
In 2002, James Van Der Beek appeared in "The Rules of Attraction," "Scary Movie," and "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back."
2002: The Rules of Attraction Release
James Van Der Beek appeared in "The Rules of Attraction" in 2002.
2003: Return to Off-Broadway after Dawson's Creek
Following the end of "Dawson's Creek" in 2003, James Van Der Beek returned to off-Broadway theater with "Rain Dance."
2003: End of Dawson's Creek and Return to Theater
In 2003, "Dawson's Creek" concluded its run, and James Van Der Beek returned to off-Broadway theater.
2003: Appearance in Rain Dance
James Van Der Beek appeared in the off-Broadway play "Rain Dance" in 2003.
2003: Marriage to Heather McComb
James Van Der Beek married Heather McComb in 2003.
2006: The Plague Release
James Van Der Beek appeared in the direct-to-DVD thriller "The Plague" in 2006.
2007: Guest Appearance on Criminal Minds
James Van Der Beek guest-starred in a two-part episode of "Criminal Minds" in 2007.
2008: Guest Appearances on How I Met Your Mother and One Tree Hill
In 2008, James Van Der Beek began a recurring role in "One Tree Hill" and made guest appearances on "How I Met Your Mother."
2008: Recurring Role on One Tree Hill and Guest Appearance on Medium
James Van Der Beek had a recurring role on "One Tree Hill" and appeared on an episode of "Medium" in 2008.
April 2009: Separation from Heather McComb
James Van Der Beek separated from Heather McComb in April 2009.
2009: Taken In Broad Daylight and Formosa Betrayed
James Van Der Beek appeared in the TV film "Taken In Broad Daylight" and "Formosa Betrayed" in 2009.
2009: Formosa Betrayed Release
"Formosa Betrayed," featuring James Van Der Beek, was released in 2009.
January 5, 2010: Casting in Mercy and Stolen
James Van Der Beek joined the cast of "Mercy" and appeared in the thriller film "Stolen" starting January 5, 2010.
February 26, 2010: Formosa Betrayed Theatrical Release
"Formosa Betrayed" was released theatrically in the U.S. on February 26, 2010.
August 1, 2010: Marriage to Kimberly Brook
James Van Der Beek married Kimberly Brook on August 1, 2010.
2010: Divorce from Heather McComb
James Van Der Beek's divorce from Heather McComb was finalized in 2010.
2011: Appearance in Kesha's "Blow" Video and Don't Trust the B Premiere
James Van Der Beek appeared in Kesha's "Blow" music video and started his role in "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" in 2011.
2012: Birth of First Son
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Brook's first son was born in 2012.
2012: Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 Premiere
James Van Der Beek began playing a fictionalized version of himself in "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" in 2012.
2013: End of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23
"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" ended in 2013.
2013: Labor Day Release
James Van Der Beek starred in the film "Labor Day" in 2013.
2014: Birth of Second Daughter
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Brook's second daughter was born in 2014.
March 4, 2015: Start of Role in CSI: Cyber
James Van Der Beek began his role as Elijah Mundo in "CSI: Cyber" on March 4, 2015.
2015: CSI: Cyber Debut
James Van Der Beek started his role as Elijah Mundo in "CSI: Cyber" in 2015.
2016: Birth of Third Daughter
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Brook's third daughter was born in 2016.
2016: End of CSI: Cyber
James Van Der Beek's run on "CSI: Cyber" ended in 2016.
2017: Carters Get Rich, Downsizing, and Vampirina
In 2017, James Van Der Beek appeared in "Carters Get Rich," "Downsizing," and voiced Boris Hauntley in "Vampirina."
2018: Birth of Fourth Daughter
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Brook's fourth daughter was born in 2018.
2018: Appearance in Pose
James Van Der Beek appeared in the first season of "Pose" in 2018.
November 2019: Miscarriage
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Brook suffered a miscarriage in November 2019.
2019: Casting in Pose
James Van Der Beek joined the cast of "Pose" in 2019.
September 2020: Move to Texas
James Van Der Beek and his family moved to Texas in September 2020.
2020: Bad Hair Release
James Van Der Beek appeared in the film "Bad Hair" in 2020.
2020: Death of Melinda Weber
Melinda Weber, James Van Der Beek's mother, passed away in 2020.
November 22, 2021: Birth of Sixth Child and Disclosure of Previous Miscarriages
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Brook announced the birth of their sixth child on November 22, 2021, and revealed previous miscarriages.
2021: Birth of Second Son
James Van Der Beek and Kimberly Brook's second son was born in 2021.
November 2024: Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis
In November 2024, James Van Der Beek publicly revealed his diagnosis of colorectal cancer. He shared that he had been privately addressing the diagnosis with his family's support.