James Van Der Beek has opened up about how his battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer has reshaped his role as a father — and revealed the “beautiful” way his six children have supported him during the most difficult time of his life.
The 48-year-old Dawson’s Creek alum first revealed his diagnosis in November, telling PEOPLE: “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family. There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
But during an emotional appearance on the TODAY show on July 30, Van Der Beek shared how the illness has changed the way he lives — and how his kids have unexpectedly stepped into caretaking roles.
“They know if Dad’s in pain”: Why Van Der Beek told his kids everything
The actor, who shares six children with his wife Kimberly — Olivia, 14, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 2 — said he felt it was important to be transparent with them about his health.
“I’m far from an expert, but our approach was just to be as honest as possible, as honest to the degree of their understanding,” he explained.
“They know. They can sense that Dad’s having a tough day. They know if Dad’s in pain,” he continued. “By not telling them, I think you’re confusing them even more.”
He encouraged other parents facing similar diagnoses not to underestimate their children’s strength.
“Allow yourself to be surprised by their resiliency,” he said. “When you tell them what you’re doing, and you tell them the approach, they can see it, and they can feel it. And I think it’s also that your journey is their journey.”
“Dad, what do you need?”: How his kids stepped up
Despite the heartbreak, Van Der Beek said the experience has brought moments of unexpected tenderness.
“I have [my] kids making me tea. ‘Dad, what do you need?’” he said. “There’s been a lot of beauty that’s come out of it, but I would love to save everybody this journey, which is why I'm saying get screened.”
He also shared an emotional moment from earlier this year, when he had to leave home to undergo treatment and felt the weight of what he was missing.
“I was away for treatment, so I could no longer be a husband who was helpful to my wife,” he said in a March 8 Instagram video. “I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn’t working.”
“Cancer is a full-time job”
While he now says he’s “feeling great,” Van Der Beek didn’t shy away from the daily toll of the disease.
“There are just so many ups and downs and so many unknowns,” he said. “Cancer is — I call it a full-time job.”
The actor has made lifestyle changes to support his recovery, including yoga, the keto diet, and prioritizing rest.
“[I've been finding] the beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job,” he told TODAY.com.
Staying grounded through work — and family
Despite the intensity of treatment, Van Der Beek has continued to act, recently finishing production on Elle, a Legally Blonde prequel series set to debut on Prime Video in 2026.
“The greatest thing about work is cancer doesn't exist between action and cut,” he said. “It was fun to drop in and just have a blast because it's such a great cast, a great production, and everybody out there is really talented.”
His wife Kimberly was in the studio during his TODAY interview, appearing briefly on camera in a moment that underscored the family’s close-knit support system.
Van Der Beek, best known for his role as Dawson Leery in the beloved ‘90s drama, has now become a voice of openness and resilience — urging others to face the unknown with honesty, especially when it comes to family.