James Van Der Beek 'became What We Used To Just Call A Good Man,' Joshua Jackson Says

Joshua Jackson says he knows he was “really conscionable a footnote” successful James Van Der Beek’s life, contempt nan “amazing” clip they spent together arsenic stars of nan bid “Dawson’s Creek.”

The prima of “The Affair” is reflecting publically for nan first clip astir his erstwhile castmate, who died Feb. 11 astatine property 48 aft a conflict pinch colorectal cancer.

The clip they shared connected group was “formational” for them, Jackson said connected “Today.” When nan “Dawson’s Creek” aviator aired successful January 1998, he was 19 and Van Der Beek was almost 21, playing characters who were 15.

“I cognize some of america look backmost connected that clip pinch awesome fondness, but I will besides opportunity that I cognize that I’m really conscionable a footnote successful what he really accomplished successful his life.”

Jackson said pinch awesome respect for his friend, who he said “became what we utilized to conscionable telephone a bully man, a man of nan benignant of belief, nan benignant of religion that allowed him to look nan intolerable pinch grace, an unbelievable partner and husband, conscionable a existent man who showed up for his family and a beautiful, kind, curious, interested, dedicated father.”

On nan 1 hand, nan 47-year-old said, “that’s beautiful.” On nan other, “The calamity of that nonaccomplishment for his family is enormous.”

Since Jackson and Van Der Beek played Pacey Witter and Dawson Leery 3 decades ago, some men had kids of their ain — a 5-year-old girl for Jackson, calved during nan pandemic pinch ex-wife Jodie Turner-Smith, and six kids for Van Der Beek pinch 2nd woman Kimberly Brook. The second couple’s children — 2 boys and 4 girls, ranging successful property from 4 to 15 — were what Van Der Beek said changed everything for him.

“Your life becomes shared, and your joys go shared joys successful a really beautiful measurement that expands your level of circuitry retired to different group alternatively of conscionable keeping it each for your ain gratification,” nan character told “Good Morning America” successful May 2023. “And nan lessons, they support connected coming. It’s nan craziest, craziest point I’ve ever done, and it’s nan point that’s made maine happiest.”

Knowing his colleague’s emotion for his family, Jackson said connected “Today” that “for maine arsenic a begetter now, I deliberation nan enormity of that calamity hits maine successful a very different measurement than conscionable arsenic a colleague, truthful I deliberation nan processing [of Van Der Beek’s death] is ongoing.”

The “Little Fires Everywhere” character was connected nan greeting show Tuesday to bring attraction to colorectal crab screenings.

Van Der Beek’s diagnosis, which went public successful November 2024, was among nan factors prompting Jackson to get progressive pinch drugmaker AstraZeneca’s “Get Body Checked Against Cancer” campaign, which takes a lighter attack to a superior taxable — crab screening — done a business pinch Jackson, nan National Hockey League and nan Philadelphia Flyers’ furry orangish mascot, Gritty.

“It is ... true, nan earlier you find something,” said “The Mighty Ducks” actor, “the amended your imaginable outcomes are.”