Reese Witherspoon ‘devastated’ by James Van Der Beek’s death

Reese Witherspoon honored James Van Der Beekas she mourns his death, saying she is heartbroken over the loss of the talented actor.

Witherspoon paid tribute to Van Der Beek on her Instagram Story following his death on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. Although the official cause of death has not been released, Van Der Beek had been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since August 2023.

Reese writes that she is “devastated” by Van Der Beek’s passing, calling him “an extraordinary and talented man who also showed great kindness and grace in every action.” Witherspoon went on to say she prays for Van Der Beek’s family.

Van Der Beek’s latest acting role will come in the upcoming TV series “Elle,” based on Reese’s iconic character Elle Woods from the 2001 film “Legally Blonde.” Witherspoon serves as executive producer on the series, which is scheduled to premiere July 1. In the series, Van Der Beek plays Dean Wilson, a school superintendent and mayoral candidate.

As you know… Van Der Beek enjoyed a successful career in Hollywood, breaking out in the role of Dawson Leery in the hit 1990s series “Dawson’s Creek”. He went on to land recurring roles on several other big shows, including “How I Met Your Mother,” “One Tree Hill” and “Pose.”

In addition to his television work, James has starred in several films, including “Varsity Blues”, “Scary Movie”, “The Rules of Attraction” and more.

He is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children. Jacques was 48 years old.

RIP