The heartbreaking news of beloved ‘90s television star and “Dancing with the Stars” Season 28 alum James Van Der Beek was announced on his official Instagram account on Wednesday, February 11. The news of his passing has been met with an outpouring of love and sadness, and the actor was so loved. He leaves behind a loving family, including his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek. Here are 5 fast facts about her.
Kimberly Van Der Beek Is the Mother of Their Six Children
Kimberly and James married in 2010 and are parents to six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emillia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. She is a dedicated and loving mom. Kimberly’s Instagram account is filled with photos of her family, including the most recent one shared on November 1, 2025, for Halloween.
She Was a Supportive Partner to James Van Der Beek
Throughout James’s cancer battle, Kimberly was by his side, supporting him. In December 2025, the actor praised her for being so loving and supportive during an appearance on “Today.”
“I would not be alive if it weren’t for my wife,” he said, E! News reports. “She just has stepped up as a caretaker, as a nurse, as head of the household. My kids, as much as I want to shield them from seeing me in any kind of pain or just stress — I wanted to be Super Dad, you realize that resilience is not only something they have and can build, but it’s the best thing for them.”
She Was the Luckiest Lady in the World
On March 8, 2025, in celebration of James Van Der Beek’s 48th birthday, and sadly his last one, Kimberly shared a touching message on Instagram.
“May our hearts continue to dance together for many many many many more more birthdays,” she wrote. “You are a treasure. I feel like the luckiest lady in the world to be married to you. May this year bring you so much laughter, dancing, deepening connection with God, exceptional health and exquisite beauty all around- plus of course- family snuggles, sunrises, sunsets, play and restorative rest.”
Kimberly Van Der Beek Taught James Van Der Beek Unconditional Love
The love they shared was beautiful to witness. In a December 2024 interview on “Good Morning America,” James made a heartfelt comment about Kimberly and their love. “She’s really taught me what unconditional love is,” he said, People reports. “[Cancer] has put me in a position of having to ask for help [and] having to receive help. The beautiful blessing of that has been seeing how many people in my life have shown up.”
She Is Passionate About Podcasting
Kimberly co-hosted the “Bathroom Chronicles” podcast with Peggy Rometo for a year, from January 2023 to January 2024. James was proud of his wife and shared his excitement for her in an interview with People in May 2023.
“It’s been really inspirational for me to watch her get back into something that she loves, and to create a safe space for people to share honestly, openly — to laugh, to cry and know that they’re not alone in the world,” he said.
