Director, producer, writer, editor, and fellow actor Kevin Smith has shared a lengthy and heartfelt tribute to the late “Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek.
Van Der Beek tragically passed away on February 11 at the age of 48. He had been bravely battling colorectal cancer since 2023.
The stars had collaborated on two occasions. In 2001, Van Der Beek appeared in Smith’s “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” It was a memorable cameo whereby he and “American Pie” star Jason Biggs portrayed themselves as the stars of the in-universe “Bluntman and Chronic” movie, leading to funny confrontations and self-deprecating jokes.
Almost two decades later, in 2019, Van Der Beek appeared in Smith’s “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.” It was another cameo, in which he reprised his meta self-portrayal alongside Biggs at a convention scene.
While their working together was brief, what’s clear is that Van Der Beek left a lasting impression Smith.
Kevin Smith Remembers James Van Der Beek
Kevin Smith took to his Instagram account to share his tribute to James Van Der Beek with his 2.5 million followers.
The tribute comprised a photograph of Smith, flanked by Van Der Beek and the aforementioned Jason Biggs (the “Bluntman” to Van Der Beek’s “Chronic.”
The lengthy and heartfelt caption to the post read, “I first met @vanderjames 25 years ago from this month, back when we were shooting @jayandsilentbob Strike Back. James was already super famous from both #dawsonscreek and #varsityblues yet he opted to risk it all by portraying a cartoonish version of himself beside @biggsjason in the #bluntmanandchronic movie at the center of the flick. I told him what a score he was for us and in his sweet, sardonic way, James joked “I’m only doing this because I wanna be in the sequel too.” Little did he know, nearly two decades later, his joke would become a reality.”
Smith Says Van Der Beek Was ‘Funny,’ ‘Warm’ & ‘Self-Effacing’
GettySmith’s post continued, “Twice in my life, I asked James to come play with me and @jaymewes. And even though he barely knew us, James accepted the invitation on both occasions – first in 2001 for Strike Back, and then again for #jayandsilentbobreboot in 2019. James didn’t just lend us his name and celebrity, he came to PLAY, making memorable moments in forgettable films. One of the best things you can do for a person is dream their dreams with or for them – so I’ll always remember #jamesvanderbeek as the generous, funny, warm, self-effacing superstar who twice helped me make my dreams come true, 18 years apart. When I hit him up to be in Reboot, James wrote “Like a cicada, I rise to work with you every 18 years.”
He went on, writing, “I’m saddened today realizing we won’t get that opportunity ever again. We live under a fairness fallacy, as if we’re somehow entitled to long lives. That being said, at the risk of sounding stupidly obvious, James was simply too young to die. My heart goes out to his family, friends and fans. Rest in Peace, Chronic…”
That Van Der Beek had such a significant impact on Smith, despite their mere two relatively minor collaborations, says a lot about the late actor.
Smith’s Followers Agreed Wholeheartedly
GettyKevin Smith’s followers shared their admiration for James Van Der Beek, and their grief regarding his passing.
Perhaps most pertinently, Jason Biggs, who was pictured in Smith’s post, commented, writing, “Beautiful words, Kev. What a great dude. 💔😢”
One of Smith’s followers said, “What a beautiful sentiment. He will be missed and remembered for the great man, actor, father, and friend he was.”
Another user chimed in, saying, “😢😢Such a lovely tribute Kevin❤️I am so sorry for the loss of your friend eh💔😢RIP James, gone far too soon😢☹️🫂💔.”
Someone else simply wrote, “Legend.”
May James Van Der Beek rest in eternal peace. He was undoubtedly taken from this world far too soon.
