The world of entertainment is still coming to terms with the tragic passing of James Van Der Beek. The beloved “Dawson’s Creek” star sadly lost his long battle with colorectal cancer on Wednesday, February 11, at the age of just 48.
The stars have come out in their droves to pay their respects to Van Der Beek, who was clearly highly thought of by his peers. As sad as his passing is, he’ll never be forgotten, as he leaves a legacy behind that includes many notable on-screen moments that will allow him to live on in everyone’s hearts and memories — especially those who were closest to him.
One such moment occurred on an episode of “We Are Family” which aired on Fox in February, 2024. “We Are Family” is an American game show, hosted by Anthony Anderson and his mother Doris Bowman, on which three unknown singers perform. At some point, a celebrity relative to each singer appears to perform alongside them.
James Van Der Beek Sang Alongside His Eldest Daughter
James Van Der Beek’s eldest daugter, Olivia Van Der Beek, appeared on “We Are Family” in the aforementioned 2024 episode. Olivia, now 15, was 13 at the time of her appearance. She performed Lee Ann Womack’s 2000 country pop song “I Hope You Dance” and was joined mid-song by her proud father. Both gave great performances — James was a surprisingly good singer — that went down well with those in attendance and everyone watching at home.
Footage of the duet has recently been shared online, primarily on Instagram. One person who shared the video captioned it, “I am sooo sad over this loss. Life is not fair !!!! What an amazing person and father he was !!!! #jamesvanderbeek #dawsonscreek.”
Instagram users have commented on the video en masse. Of course, they all say lovely things about the performance and Van Der Beek’s relationship with his daughter.
People Love That Olivia Will Have the Duet to Look Back On
GettyOne Instagram user commented on the video saying, “I love that she has this to look back on 😭❤️.”
Another user wrote, “Omg, this is amazing!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭I hope she becomes a big singing star 🌟.”
Someone else said, “Wow!! Such a beautiful moment for them. Treasured video now. What a incredible legacy, his beautiful children. May he Rest In Eternal Peace. 🙏😢”
Meanwhile, someone simply said, “Had no idea he could sing.”
Finally, a different commenter wrote, “I love that there’s so much for his kids to look back on one day. I said this to my husband last night. Charlie’s kids too. If they ever have a question about life or what to do they can go back and see what their dad had to say.”
It’s certainly a lovely memory for Olivia Van Der Beek and the rest of James Van Der Beek’s family to look back on. We hope it’s the kind of thing that provides them with some comfort as they gradually come to terms with his passing.
May James Van Der Beek rest in serenity forever.
