by Stephanie SoteriouBuzzFeedBuzzFeed StaffI've been a pop culture journalist for over 10 years, which is both a terrifying and amazing concept - who would have thought that my love of celebrity gossip would literally pay my bills? Last week, it was announced that beloved actor James Van Der Beek had died at age 48, less than three years after he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Emma Mcintyre / Getty Images In a statement that was shared to the star's Instagram profile, his wife, Kimberly, wrote: "Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning.