Stars across Hollywood flooded social media with tributes and memories of beloved “Dawson Creek” star James Van Der Beek, who died after a battle with colorectal cancer at the age of 48.
His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced the sad news Wednesday on Instagram, writing that the actor “met his final days with courage, faith and grace.”
His death sparked an outpouring of grief across the internet, including from his co-stars on “Dawson Creek,” in which he starred alongside Katie Holmes as the hunky title character for all six seasons. She played his onscreen love interest Joey Potter.
In an emotional handwritten letter shared online, Holmes told followers that the loss of her co-star has left her with a “heavy heart,” adding that her grief has been “a lot to process.”
“James, thank you,” she wrote. “To share a space with your imagination is sacred — breathing the same air in the land of make believe and trusting that each other’s hearts are safe in their expression. These are some of the memories, along with laughter, conversations about life, James Taylor songs — adventures of a unique youth.”
“Bravery. Compassion. Selflessness. Strength,” Holmes added. “An appreciation for life and the action taken to live life with the integrity that life is art — creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children — the journey of a hero.”
Busy Philipps, who played Audrey Liddell on the drama series, said in her own social media post that she’s “profoundly heartbroken.”
“My heart is deeply hurting for all of us today,” Philipps wrote. “Every person who knew James and loved him, anyone who loved his work or had the pleasure of meeting him, all of his dear friends and community that surrounded him as he battled this illness, especially his parents and brother and sister.”
Philipps also shared a GoFundMe link started by a friend of the family, which had raked in nearly $1.6 million as of Thursday afternoon. All of the proceeds will go toward supporting Van Der Beek’s wife and their six children, daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.
Sasha Alexander, who played Gretchen Witter on “Dawson’s Creek,” shared a series of photos of her and Van Der Beek and remembered him as a “deep, thoughtful soul.”
“It feels like yesterday that we were sitting beneath those pink Wilmington sunsets, filming during the beautiful Dawson’s Creek years,” she wrote. “What made Dawson special was the man who played him.”
Chad Michael Murray, another co-star, wrote that Van Der Beek through “words, art and humanity inspired all of us — he inspired us to be better in all ways.”
“Rest in peace old friend,” wrote Monica Keena, who played Abby Morgan on the show.
Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar expressed love for Van Der Beek’s family, adding that “while James’ legacy will always live on, this is a huge loss to not just your family but the world. F— Cancer.”
“Fresh Prince” actor Alfonso Ribeiro meanwhile revealed that he had a chance to say goodbye to his friend, adding that he’s still “so broken right now.”
“He was my true friend, brother and life guide,” he wrote.
WWE Hall of Famer Stacy Keibler similarly said she spent time with the actor prior to his death, sharing her tribute with a photo of him in a wheelchair and watching the sunset.
“When you know time is sacred, you don’t waste a single breath. You don’t rush. You don’t scroll. You don’t worry about tomorrow,” Keibler wrote. “You sit. You listen. You hold hands. You watch the sky change colors and you let it change you too.”
