How many children does James Van Der Beek have? Actor celebrates daughter's birthday after missing Dawson's Creek reunion

American actor James Van Der Beek, who is widely known for playing the character of Dawson Leery in the popular 1998 TV series Dawson's Creek, is currently the talk of the town as he celebrated his daughter Olivia's 15th birthday on September 25, 2025, on Instagram. The 48-year-old actor, James, whose eldest daughter just turned 15, is the same age as his character, Dawson Leery, in the show's first episode.

James Van Der Beek, who is also known for his cult sitcom, Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23, shared a video on Instagram in which he said:

"My oldest turned 15 today. Same age that Dawson was in the pilot."

According to Page Six, the Varsity Blues actor, James Van Der Beek, who has been married to Kimberly Brook, a business consultant, since 2010, shares six children with her. With Olivia being the eldest and Jeremiah the youngest, James' other kids are Emilia, Joshua, Gwendolyn, and Annabel. He was previously married to actress Heather McComb, from 2003 to 2010. James moved to Texas from Los Angeles along with his family in 2020.

The Texas Rangers star, James Van Der Beek, who couldn't attend the September 22, 2025, reunion of the Dawson's Creek cast in New York City, shared a video of his daughters Olivia and Emilia singing at the event. James captioned his Instgram post:

"To watch you stand there in that red dress, so confident … amidst all those people I’ve known so long and cherish so deeply… I’m just left in awe."

He went ahead and wrote:

"I’ve always joked that you came out ‘parent proof'. This last year, as I’ve watched you accelerate into so many big decisions, jump into so many activities, budget your time, do your homework and your hair (which, from my point of view, seem to require roughly the same amount of time & focus 😂)… the less I think the parent-proof thing is a joke."

While he advised Olivia to "keep taking big swings", James further added:

"Risk imperfection. Keep dreaming big and most importantly, be true to who you are. Because, while only YOU will know exactly who your most authentic self will be, as someone who’s known you your whole life… I can guarantee you’re going to love her."

James Van Der Beek is battling cancer

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The Rules of Attraction actor, James, is battling colorectal cancer. As per Page Six, he was diagnosed with it in August 2023. However, he broke the news publicly in November 2024. The September 22 Dawson's Creek reunion was also arranged to raise money for his cancer treatment. While James couldn't attend the event, he sent a surprise video message to his fans and everyone else.

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