James Van Der Beek Age, Wiki and Bio

James Van Der Beek

Quick Info

ProfessionActor
NationalityAmerican
Date of Birth08/03/1977
Age48 years (died on 11, Feb, 2026)
BirthplaceCheshire, Connecticut, U.S.
Date of Death11/02/2026

Bio/Wiki

Full NameJames David Van Der Beek
Earned NameJames Darren

Physical Stats & More

Height6' (183 cm)
Eye ColorBlue
Hair ColorLight Blonde

Educational Qualification(s)

High SchoolCheshire Academy, Connecticut
CollegeDrew University, Madison, New Jersey
Graduation Year1995

Personal Life

Food HabitNon-vegetarian
HometownConnecticut, U.S.
Zodiac SignPisces

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried
Affairs/Girlfriends
  • Heather McComb (actress)
  • Kimberly Brook (consultant)
Marriage Details
First Marriage2003 (divorced 2010)
Second Marriage1 August 2010

Family

FatherJames William Van Der Beek (a cellular phone company executive)
MotherMelinda (1950–2020) (a dancer, gymnastics teacher)
Siblings
BrotherJared Van Der Beek
SisterJuliana Van Der Beek
Spouse
  • Heather McComb
  • Kimberly Brook
Children
Sons
  • Joshua Van Der Beek
  • Jeremiah Van Der Beek
Daughters
  • Olivia Van Der Beek
  • Annabel Leah Van Der Beek
  • Emilia Van Der Beek
  • Gwendolyn Van Der Beek

Career

Debut
TVClarissa Explains It All (1993) as Paulie on Nickelodeon
FilmAngus (1995) as Rick Sandford
Last FilmThe Gates (2026) as Jacob
Awards
  • Event: MTV Movie and TV Awards Year: 1999 Award: Best Breakthrough Male Performance for Varsity Blues
  • Event: MTV Movie and TV Awards Year: 2001 Award: Best Cameo in a Movie for Scary
  • Event: Teen Choice Awards Year: 1999 Award: Film – Breakout Performance for Varsity Blues
  • Event: San Diego Film Festival Year: 2009 Award: Best Actor for Formosa Betrayed
  • Event: Young Hollywood Awards Year: 2001 Award: Best Cast Chemistry – TV for Dawson's Creek (shared with Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams)
  • Event: Others Year: 2024 Award: Honorable degree from Drew University

Some Lesser Known Facts

James Van Der Beek has diverse family roots, including Dutch, German, English, Scots-Irish, and French descents.
The surname 'Van Der Beek' translates to 'from the creek' in Dutch.
During his school years, he portrayed Reuben in the play 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat'.
At fifteen, he requested his mother to take him to New York City to enroll in an acting agency.
He initiated his acting journey at seventeen with an off-Broadway production.
His film debut as a mean bully occurred in 1995's 'Angus'.
He starred in the hit series 'Dawson's Creek', which aired for six seasons.
He gained acclaim for his role in the film 'Varsity Blues', which topped the U.S. box office upon release.
He was recognized as one of the '50 Most Beautiful People in the World' by People magazine in 1999.
James was a member of an all-male a cappella group during his college years.
He made a return to off-Broadway in 2003 with 'Rain Dance' after his initial success.