Michelle Williams broke her silence on James Van Der Beek’s death on Sunday night at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards.
Williams, 45, co-starred alongside Van Der Beek on the teen drama Dawson’s Creek, which lasted six seasons between 1998 and 2003.
Van Der Beek died on February 11 at age 48 following a battle with colorectal cancer.
Speaking with ET, Williams said about the late actor, ‘I’m thinking about him and I’m thinking about his family constantly.
‘It’s been such an amazing thing, as James‘s friend and a friend of the family, to see the response in the wake of his passing.’
She went on to reference the GoFundMe page that was launched in support of Van Der Beek’s kids as she added, ‘I just really want to say thank you to each and every person who has contributed to sustaining their lives and their children’s lives. It’s an incredibly meaningful thing to witness.’
Van Der Beek is survived by wife Kimberly and their six children – daughters Olivia, 15, Annabel, 12, Emilia, nine, and Gwendolyn, seven, as well as sons Joshua, 13, and Jeremiah, four.
After initially posting a $500,00 goal, the page has surpassed $2.7 million through more than 46,000 donations.
A description on the site reads: ‘In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future.
‘The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds.
‘They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time.’
The message continues: ‘The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead.
‘Your generosity will help cover essential living expenses, pay bills, and support the children’s education. Every donation, no matter the size, will help Kimberly and her family find hope and security as they rebuild their lives. Thank you for considering a gift to support them.’
Kimberly posed alongside Williams, Busy Philipps, and Katie Holmes in a September 2025 Instagram post depicting their close bond.
She captioned, ‘Going deeper with these ladies has been so bitter sweet. They are magic, kind, gifted, heart forward and… sacred.
‘Missed my guy so. But the support and the love has been healing to the core. Will post more along the way. This was a fun spontaneous one as we all ran up and down several flights of stairs to our dressing rooms.’
On the day of his death, Philipps paid tribute to Van Der Beek with a touching Instagram post.
Sharing two throwback photos of them together, she wrote, ‘My heart is deeply hurting for all of us today…every person who knew James and loved him, anyone who loved his work or had the pleasure of meeting him, all of his dear friends and community that surrounded him as he battled this illness, especially his parents and brother and sister.
‘But I am profoundly heartbroken for his incredible wife Kimberly and their six magical children. There is a go fund me for them to help out and i’ll put the link in my stories.
‘James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and he will be forever missed and i don’t know what else to say. i am just so so sad. He was my friend and i loved him and i’m so grateful for our friendship all these years.❤️’
