James Van Der Beek, the actor whose portrayal of Dawson Leery in the '90s teen drama Dawson's Creek made him a household name, has died at the age of 48 after a battle with colorectal cancer. His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, confirmed the news on social media, writing that he "passed peacefully this morning" and that he "met his final days with courage, faith and grace." Van Der Beek first rose to fame in 1998 when Dawson's Creek premiered. The show quickly became a defining series for its generation, following a tight-knit group of friends coming of age in a small Massachusetts coastal town.