“Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek has candidly revealed that he is battling colorectal cancer, sharing his diagnosis in a heartfelt Instagram post along with images of himself taken in and around his Austin, TX, ranch. (Source: Instagram/James Van Der Beek)
“Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek has candidly revealed that he is battling colorectal cancer, sharing his diagnosis in a heartfelt Instagram post along with images of himself taken in and around his Austin, Texas, ranch.
The 47-year-old actor relocated from Hollywood to Texas in 2020 in a bid to find more “space” and a “connection to nature,” something that he wanted his six children to experience away from the bright lights of Los Angeles.
“We watch the sunset. We know what phase the moon is in. We can actually see stars, which is a new thing,” he told Fox News at the time of the move.
“We love it. We have a lot more space. We all need a more immediate connection to nature. It’s been a really, really great move, and the kids are really happy.”
Dawson’s Creek alum James Van Der Beek has revealed he has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
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At the time, his wife, Kimberly, described their new home—and its stunning natural surroundings—as having the “capacity to heal… to hug you and heal you,” something that James is no doubt soaking up more now than ever before.
The actor began his Instagram post simply by writing the phrase that he was told by his doctor: “It is cancer…”
He went on to note that he is one of around two billion people who receive this devastating diagnosis each year, explaining that he felt forced to rush his announcement because he had learned a tabloid was planning to publish the news about his cancer.
The 47-year-old actor moved to Texas in 2020 with his wife and their children, saying at the time that he wanted his family to be closer to nature. (Source: Instagram/James Van Der Beek)
He has been enjoying a much quieter life away from the bright lights of Hollywood. (Source: Instagram/James Van Der Beek)
“There’s no playbook for how to announce these things, but I’d planned on talking about it at length with People magazine at some point soon… to raise awareness and tell my story on my own terms,” he wrote in the caption.
“But that plan had to be altered early this morning when I was informed that a tabloid was going to run with the news.
“I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialling in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I’m in a good place and feeling strong. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready.
“Apologies to all the people in my life who I’d planned on telling myself. Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline… But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention.
“Please know that my family and I deeply appreciate all the love and support.”
The actor’s diagnosis comes 26 years after he first shot to fame while starring as the titular character in the hit series “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 until 2003.
Following the end of his career-making show, James went on to star in a variety of other series, including “Varsity Blues” and “CSI: Cyber”.
He played a fictionalised version of himself in the show “Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23.”
However, while James’ Hollywood career has continued to flourish, the actor has turned his back on the traditional A-lister lifestyle, eschewing the trappings of Los Angeles fame in favour of pursuing a quieter life on a ranch in Texas.
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The actor and his wife Kimberly share six children together. (Source: Instagram/James Van Der Beek)
James regularly shares images and videos of his family enjoying the beautiful surroundings that they live in now. (Source: Instagram/James Van Der Beek)
His wife, Kimberly, described their new home—and its stunning natural surroundings—as having the “capacity to heal… to hug you and heal you,” something that James is no doubt soaking up more now than ever before. (Source: Instagram/James Van Der Beek)
Their wooded property includes a main house, several cabins, and a pool and backyard with views of the Pedernales River. (Source: Instagram/James Van Der Beek)
So long, Southern California
James and Kimberly traded their spread in Beverly Hills for a property in The Hill Country of Texas back in 2020, investing in a sprawling ranch property in Spicewood, TX, a rural town outside of Austin where they would have more than enough room to raise their brood of six kids.
Set on 36 acres, the spread is “more expansive” than their L.A. home and cheaper, to boot, with Kimberly revealing at the time of the move that their enormous home cost less than the amount they were paying to live in California: “I’ll tell you a secret: This cost less than it cost to live in Beverly Hills.”
Howdy, Texas
Their wooded property includes a main house, several cabins, a pool, and a backyard with views of the Pedernales River.
“The space available in Texas … where we’re at, it’s expansive and there’s a lot of space and I feel that for a big family … it was just really, really necessary for us,” Kimberly said in an Instagram Live session.
According to a story on Realtor.com, the 478.36 sqm home the Van Der Beeks are residing in features five bedrooms and three bathrooms.
The main house comes with a commercial kitchen, balconies with sky and river views, an outdoor living space with a pool, and a tram to the river. The grounds include a barn perfect for throwing a party.
The waterfront residence is a place to “channel your ‘hippy cowboy,’” notes an old listing.
At the time Kimberly had mentioned that they had not yet purchased a property, but instead planned to lease first before deciding if they want to buy in the Lone Star State.
“We’re going to try Texas out for a year and really give a lot of love to this property,” she said on Instagram Live.
The “compound,” as she calls it, has plenty of room for their family, plus room for guests.
And they seem to enjoy being renters.
“We have incredible landlords, they’re magical, so they’re really letting us dip into it and really steward the land as if it’s our own and go wild with it. Which is really cool,” she said.
James and Kimberly both noted that their new home allows them greater proximity to nature, which they wanted their children to have access to. (Picture: Realtor.com)
A barn is one of the many structures on the compound. (Picture: Realtor.com)
The living room of the 464.52-sqm main house. (Picture: Realtor.com)
The family initially began leasing a property while they found their footing. (Picture: Realtor.com)
Bye, Beverly Hills
Indeed, the couple put up their Beverly Hills, CA, home to rent for $12,000 a month before they left for Texas. The two-storey Mediterranean, which they had recently redone, was featured in Architectural Digest.
The four-bedroom abode includes 291.16 sqm of living space. The floor plan offers a chef’s kitchen and an oversized living room. And the backyard comes with a guesthouse, wood deck, pool, spa, and built-in barbecue.
During the pandemic, they shared that the home had just gotten a top-to-bottom refresh when the pandemic hit. Then, the couple weathered a series of professional and personal crises, including the loss of Van Der Beek’s mother, a health scare (Kimberly this time), and a business deal gone sour.
After months of sheltering in place, they seemed eager to move not just out of the house—but out of the state.
“Sometimes a fuller life begins with an empty house,” Kimberly posted on Instagram in September 2020. “Leaving Los Angeles incredibly grateful for all the friends and memories we’ve made here. Onto the next big adventure!”
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This story first appeared on Realtor.com and was republished with permission.
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