Actor James Van Der Beek has come a long way since his breakout role in the late ’90s hit Dawson’s Creek. After the series ended, he cleverly spoofed his Dawson Leery persona by playing an exaggerated version of himself on the cult comedy Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, and he’s also popped up in a variety of guest roles on shows including Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother, Ugly Betty, One Tree Hill, Modern Family, and, most recently, Overcompensating.
In 2020, Van Der Beek stepped away from Hollywood, relocating with his wife, Kimberly, and their six children to a 36‑acre estate outside Austin, not far from Willie Nelson’s ranch. But three years later, things took an unexpected turn: He was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer, which he revealed publicly in late 2024, calling it “the hardest year of my life.”
Now, Van Der Beek is turning that experience into advocacy, encouraging people to get screened for colon cancer through a partnership with Guardant Health to raise awareness about the Shield blood test and other screening options.
In a candid conversation with Katie Couric Media, he reflects on the shock of his diagnosis, life after relocating his family to Texas, and his next big role in the Legally Blonde prequel series, Elle.
Katie Couric Media: You’ve been open about your stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis and how you first noticed changes in your bowel movements. When you think back to that time, what led you to see a doctor?
James Van Der Beek: There wasn’t any big warning sign or red flag that made me rush to get tested. It wasn’t like, “Oh man, I really need to get this checked out.” I was in great cardiovascular shape, eating well, doing the sauna, cold plunges, and all the biohacking things people in the [Texas] Hill Country love. I felt healthy — and yet I had full-blown stage 3 cancer without realizing it.
The most important thing is to get it on your radar. The guidelines recommend that anyone 45 and older talk to their doctor about screening options, but family history or other factors could mean you should start even earlier than that.
So don’t wait for a symptom to get checked for this, because the numbers are very scary at the outset. It’s the second deadliest cancer out there, yet also one of the most curable. If you catch it early, the survival rate is 90 percent. That’s why it’s so important to get screened.
Now that you’ve teamed up with Guardant Health, what should people know about the Shield blood test and other screening options, especially for those hesitant to get tested?
A colonoscopy is still the gold standard, but many people face barriers with other tests, like not being able to take time off work. That’s what makes the Shield blood test so exciting. It’s a simple, FDA‑approved blood draw that can be done at your regular doctor’s appointment. It’s worth adding to the list of options to discuss with your doctor.
What do you hope your kids take away from watching you face this so openly?
You can tell kids what to do and what values to have, but the strongest lesson is showing them through action. I hope they see me take a very challenging twist that life has thrown at me and do the best I can to make sure other people don’t have to go down this road.
When I was first diagnosed, I asked myself, What can I do now so that in 10 or 15 years I can look back and say, “thank God that happened”? Advocacy has been a big, big part of that.
How has this experience changed the way you think about health and life in general?
It’s been a big discovery process. I’ve realized the importance of slowing down. I’ve also come to appreciate the gift of letting people show up and help me, since I used to try to do everything on my own.
I’ve discovered how monumental the small moments can be when you truly take time to appreciate them — and how inconsequential some of the things I used to stress over really are in the grand scheme of things. What’s meant the most, honestly, is people coming up to me to say they’re praying for me and wishing me well. I appreciate it every time — it really means a lot.
What was the transition from LA to Texas like?
I moved there because I wanted to be in Texas. I love the people and my neighbors. Life there just feels different — at the gas station, the coffee shop, or even just walking down the street, conversations are about the weather, the land, planting season, and the heat. We’re not talking about business, and I really like that. I love the space, the wide‑open sky, and being surrounded by nature. It makes me feel so connected to it. We’ve got a bunch of land, and we’re trying to grow our own food and keep our chickens alive.
I’m sure your kids — especially your daughters — are excited about your upcoming role as Dean Wilson, a high school superintendent running for mayor, in Prime Video’s Legally Blonde prequel series Elle. Did they have any influence on your decision to take the role?
They were thrilled. I’ve been sharing a bit more of my journey lately, the ups and downs. Normally, I never tell anyone when I have a meeting about something, but this time I said, “Yeah, I’m taking this meeting. If it goes well, I’ll be doing a prequel to Legally Blonde.” They immediately said, “Oh, we have to come!”
After getting the part, I was able to take two of my girls on separate visits to the set. They’re huge fans of the movies, so it was amazing to see them so excited about something I’m doing. I’m still working to keep my cool-dad status — and this buys me a little bit of time.
The show is set in the ’90s, right? Does that bring a sense of nostalgia for you?
Yeah, it’s Elle Woods in high school, so walking through the wardrobe room was wild. I even got to use a cell phone with a pull-out antenna, which was fun.
What sort of challenges or joys did you encounter stepping kind of back into the entertainment world?
I realized how much I missed simply creating and collaborating with other artists. When I left Hollywood, I loved it — it felt like such a release, like I could finally breathe. I was spending time with family, and part of me thought, “Man, this is life. This is really what it’s all about.” But after my diagnosis, I realized that the artist in me still needed to be fulfilled. So I joke that I’m probably the only person who got cancer and thought, “I think I need to work more.”
It really awakened me to just how much I appreciate getting to tell stories, so I’ve jumped back into acting with a newfound appreciation.
Speaking of work, I have to ask: Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson were recently spotted filming Happy Hours together in New York City. How does it feel to see your former co-stars reuniting on screen after all these years?
It was great to see them — I miss those guys. We need to get together soon. It’s always so fun to be around long enough to rediscover people and think, “Wow, I love who you’ve become,” and to be able to forgive each other for being young. We share this crazy history that only the four of us truly understand about what it was like to be in the eye of that particular storm. There’s just so much love there.
When you reunite with your former Dawson’s Creek co-stars, does it feel like you can just pick up right where you left off?
I used to say it’s like people you went to high school with. You get together and then before long there’s a natural rhythm and rapport that happens. But what’s really fun is how the rapport has changed. We’ve all lived so much life in between, and getting to rediscover just how cool they are — that’s where the real joy is.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
