The on-screen father of James Van Der Beek’s Dawson Leery has posted a heartfelt tribute to the late star, following his passing at the age of just 48 after a long battle with colorectal cancer.
John Wesley Shipp played Mitch Leery in five seasons of “Dawson’s Creek” from 1998 until 2001. He had a main role for the first four seasons, then a recurring role in season five — the season in which his character tragically lost his life in a car accident.
Shipp, 71, took to his Instagram account to share a lengthy post about Van Der Beek with his 466,000 followers. He joins a plethora of fellow stars to pay tribute to Van Der Beek. The actor stressed that he had paused for a day to give his thoughts, out of respect for the actor and those closest to him.
John Wesley Shipp Praises ‘Remarkable’ James Van Der Beek
John Wesley Shipp wrote, “I try to pause before commenting when a painful event occurs in the lives of people to whom I have been close, out of an abundance of caution not to co-opt their personal pain and make it my own. I am so glad to have met James Van Der Beek’s beautiful family at his DANCING WITH THE STARS competition in LA and most recently at the spectacular event, DAWSON’S CREEK ON BROADWAY last Fall. It is to them that my heart goes out at this moment, his beautiful wife, Kimberly, and family and their families and circle of closest friends.”
He continued, “Your sorrow must be immense at this moment, and I center you in my heart. Thank you for your past embraces and know that my arms are firmly around you at James’ passing.”
Shipp Shared His Gratitude for Van Der Beek
GettyJohn Wesley Shipp spoke highly of James Van Der Beek, saying, “Now to James. I had the privilege of working closely with James for over 4 years as the father of his character, Dawson, of DAWSON’S CREEK. It delighted me that this father/son relationship was affectionate and close which allowed me to play intimate father/son scenes with this remarkable young man. Acting is intimacy, and people often remarked that James and I began to reflect each other’s expressions and movements – down to the eyebrows! – not out of intention, rather out of studying each other closely in the course of breathing life into Kevin Williamson’s remarkable achievement through the characters he so carefully and thoughtfully crafted. This period in my career, on the eastern coastal waterways Wilmington, NC, is frozen in time for me, apart from and yet magically informing my life.”
He went on, “I can only say that I am grateful for you, James, your generosity with me as an actor, your desire to breathe life and truth into the often quirky father/son moments we shared together onscreen. I offer up respect and affection at your passing. For the moving, serious, often hilarious moments we entered into in the process of creating, and for memories that will last beyond our lifetimes. #DawsonsCreek
♥️🖤
James Van Der Beek
March 8, 1977 – February 11, 2026.”
It was a genuinely lovely post that struck a chord with Shipp’s followers.
Shipp’s Followers Replied in Their Droves
GettyOne of John Wesley Shipp’s followers, a “Dawson’s Creek” fan account, commented on his post, writing, “Beautiful words John 😭🙏🏻.”
Another of Shipp’s followers wrote, “So sorry for your loss ♥️ Please know the relationship you brought to life in this show has moved me in so many ways. When your character died it was a deep grief we felt through Dawson. And we feel it now with James 💔 May his memory be eternal 🙏♥️.”
Someone else said, “I’m really sorry, John. Dawson’s Creek is part of my life. He will always be in our hearts. 😢❤️”
Shipp’s words clearly resonated with his followers, and James Van Der Beek is clearly going to be missed by many.
Per IMDb, following his time on “Dawson’s Creek,” Shipp has appeared in television series like teen drama “Palmetto Pointe,” soap opera “One Life to Live,” supernatural teen drama “Teen Wolf,” and superhero show “The Flash” and several of its spin-offs. We wish him the best with his career and hope he’s coping with this terrible loss.
May the wonderful James Van Der Beek rest in eternal peace.
