James Van Der Beek has become the third of the Drop 40 to fall, mere days after Brad Arnold. He went straight in to acting as a teenager, starting out with off-Broadway theatre and a couple of minor film roles until 1997 when he landed the title role on Dawson’s Creek. The show was a smash hit and helped solidify The WB as the go-to network for teens and young adults in the 90’s. The less said about his film career after Creek ended in 2003 the better, but he went on to multiple well-received guest and recurring roles in shows such as One Tree Hill, Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, and Pose.
He was sadly diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2023, just two years after the birth of his sixth child. Going public in late 2024 put him on the radar for deadpoolers, and his announcement that he was auctioning off his memorabilia from his Creek days last November shot him up to the top end of the Drop 40 this year. At 97 picks, his death also squeaks him in to the top 50 Most Picked Hits.
Down the creek he goes!
James Van Der Beek, Drop 40 Joint #5
March 8 1977 – February 11 2026
91 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀+40 = 13 Points
8 Teams 🃏 = 26 Points