Following actor James Van Der Beek's demise, a heated debate unfolded on social media as fans revisited his performance in the iconic teen drama Dawson’s Creek.
The 48-year-old actor passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, after a long battle with cancer. Hours later, a clip from the show resurfaced on X and garnered 800k views as fans reflected on his most memorable role.
Highlights
- James Van Der Beek’s passing reignited debate over the heavily memed “Crying Dawson” scene from Dawson’s Creek.
- From “cringy” to “heartbreaking,” fans were divided over the scene, which the late actor admitted was completely unscripted.
- Fans clashed online as the show’s infamous love triangle still haunted them 26 years later.
“His legacy will always be remembered,” one fan wrote.
Fans revisit James Van Der Beek's highly memed Dawson's Creek scene
Image credits: Sony Pictures Television
Van Der Beek was best known for playing Dawson Leery in the series, which ran from 1998 to 2003. In the third-season episode, True Love, originally aired on May 24, 2000, Dawson tearfully parted ways with longtime friend and love interest, Joey.
The scene, which became the source of the "Crying Dawson" meme, ignited mixed feelings over two decades later. While some viewed it as a part of his legacy, others were unimpressed with Van Der Beek’s performance.
“Honestly, I always thought that they should have redone that since his crying was cringy,” one user wrote.
Another commented, “Christ, we watched some absolute sh*t growing up, didn’t we?”
On the other hand, some fans found the moment “heartbreaking” and “relatable,” while several could not help but join Dawson in shedding tears because of their affection for the show and its deceased star.
“This scene is the defining moment of my TV-watching childhood. RIP James,” a viewer shared.
James Van Der Beek made an honest confession about the crying scene
Image credits: Getty Images
Van Der Beek was aware of the infamous crying scene’s memefication and opened up about its origins in a 2012 interview with HuffPost.
He revealed that the now-memorable moment was completely unscripted. Since he had been “living with this character for a while,” he could not help but react emotionally to the scene’s high-voltage drama.
"I remember being completely surprised by it because it was completely sincere,” he said.
He also did not mind netizens using the scene to poke fun at him, seeing the humorous side of his six-year stint on the show boiled down to a four-second clip.
“From the minute I became aware of it, it just cracked me up,” he added.
26 years later, Dawson's Creek’s love triangle still has fans divided
Image credits: vanderjames
The infamous meme aside, revisiting the scene triggered unresolved emotions in fans who are still not over the love triangle between Dawson, Joey, and Pacey.
The episode saw Dawson finally coming to terms with Joey having feelings for Pacey as he encouraged her to pursue them. Twenty-six years later, the resolution to their overarching romantic subplot continues to receive divisive reactions.
“I always hated this, though. She's not property, she didn't need his permission,” one user said.
A second wrote, “After all the years she wanted him, and she ends up choosing the other one. I totally did not like that they did that.”
“They might as well have ended the series atp for me cause I couldn't stand her and pacey,” a third commented.
Image credits: Jim Spellman/Getty Images
Despite the fate of their characters, actress Katie Holmes, who played Joey, paid tribute to her late co-star through a handwritten letter posted on Instagram.
“I am so grateful to have shared in a piece of James’ journey. He is beloved,” she wrote.
Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023. He is survived by his family, including his wife, Kimberly Brook, and their six children.
Dawson's Creek is currently available to watch on Tubi and Hulu.