Joshua Jackson, James Van Der Beek‘s co-star on Dawson’s Creek, spoke about the actor’s death for the first time since his passing. Jackson revealed that he was still processing the grief and called Van Der Beek “a good man” and “a man of the kind of belief.”
Joshua Jackson addresses James Van Der Beek’s death
Joshua Jackson, best known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, alongside his friend James Van Der Beek, expressed grief over Van Der Beek’s passing from colorectal cancer earlier this year. This is the first time Jackson has spoken publicly.
“I think it hits in a variety of different ways,” Jackson said on the Today Show, “For me as a father now, I think the enormity of that tragedy for his family hits me in a very different way than just as a colleague.” He added, “So I think the processing is ongoing.”
Jackson recalled his time with Van Der Beek fondly. “He and I shared this very amazing time … and it was formative for us,” he said. “I know both of us look back on that time with great fondness, but I will also say that I know that I am really just a footnote in what he actually accomplished in his life.”
Jackson continued, “He became what we used to just call a good man, a man of the kind of belief, the kind of faith that allowed him to face the impossible with grace, an unbelievable partner and husband, just a real man who showed up for his family and a beautiful, kind, curious, interested, dedicated father.”
Van Der Beek’s death has had a significant impact on Jackson, who revealed that he has partnered with the NHL and AstraZeneca as part of the pharmaceutical company’s Get Body Checked Against Cancer campaign, which encourages people to get their bodies checked for cancer.
