James Van Der Beek's Cancer Battle Was a 'Full-Time Job' in the Months Leading Up to His Tragic Death

James Van Der Beek got candid about his cancer battle in the months before his sudden death, revealing that living with the disease felt like a "full-time job."

“I’m just on the journey,” the Dawson's Creek alum, who was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer, told Today in July 2025. “It's a process. It'll probably be a process for the rest of my life."

The actor spoke about the many lifestyle changes he made since receiving the frightening diagnosis in August 2023, including yoga and diet changes, while discovering "the beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job."

Despite his diagnosis, Van Der Beek was happy to keep working and shared details about his upcoming TV project, Elle, a prequel to the Reese Witherspoon-led film, Legally Blonde.

"The greatest thing about work is cancer doesn't exist between action and cut," he told the outlet. "It was fun to drop in and just have a blast because it's such a great cast, a great production, and everybody out there is really talented."

Van Der Beek was 48 years old when his family confirmed his death on February 11.

"Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend," they said in a statement via Instagram.

Just two months earlier, Van Der Beek told the Today show he was feeling better amid his ongoing battle with cancer.

"I feel much, much better than I did a couple months ago," he told Craig Melvin on December 19, 2025. "It's been a longer journey than I ever thought it would be. It's required more of me — more patience, more discipline, more strength than I knew I had. I knew I was strong. I didn't know I was this strong. But I feel good."

At the time, the Varsity Blues actor said he was "trying a bunch of stuff" when it came to treating his condition, but declined to be specific.

“I was so healthy, was in amazing cardiovascular shape. I was doing the cold plunges, and the saunas, and the intermittent fasting and all of it,” he said, admitting he was shocked to learned of his diagnosis.

“I went into shock. I really don't think I knew what to do. Neither did my wife," Van Der Beek recalled. "And we drove home in silence. And part of me wanted to panic. Part of me wanted to just freak out. But then another part of my brain was like, ‘You don't know enough yet.'"