James Van Der Beek had a big brood and loved spending time with all of his little ones — and documenting their cutest moments on social media.
The Dawson’s Creek alum and Kimberly Van Der Beek wed in 2010 and welcomed Olivia that same year. Their daughter became a big sister two years later when Joshua arrived, followed by Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn.
Shortly after telling Luxury Handbag Shopping in October 2019 that he and his wife were open to having another child, the actor announced that baby No. 6 was on the way. However, he revealed one month later that Kimberly suffered a pregnancy loss. She experienced another miscarriage in June 2020.
The couple secretly welcomed their rainbow baby, a son named Jeremiah, in November 2021. “After experiencing late-term #pregnancyloss twice in a row (both at 17+ weeks), we kept this one quiet,” James explained via Instagram at the time. “Truthfully, I was terrified when I found out.”
In November 2024, Van Der Beek revealed via Instagram that he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, writing, “Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support.”
The Dawson’s Creek actor lost his battle to cancer in February 2026 when his death was confirmed via Instagram.
Keep scrolling for a special look at James’ best moments with his wife and six kids:
