Michelle Williams is remembering her late friend and co-star James Van Der Beek. Last night, at the Actor Awards, Williams won outstanding performance for a female actor in a television movie or limited series for her work in “Dying for Sex,” addressing Van Der Beek’s recent death while in a press conference.
Williams was asked if Van Der Beek was on her mind as she won the award, with her affirming that, saying that she was “thinking about him and…his family constantly.”
Van Der Beek died on February 11th, after a colorectal cancer diagnosis that he battled with over the past couple of years.
“I also just want to say it’s been such an amazing thing as James is a friend and a friend of the family to see the response in the wake of his passing,” she said, referencing the GoFundMe page that was created to benefit his wife and six children. The page was set up to help deal with the costs of his death and the raising of the children.
© Todd WilliamsonOver 2.5 million was raised for Van Der Beek’s family, with some of the leading figures in the industry making donations, including Steven Spielberg, who donated $25,000, Zoe Saldana, Kaley Cuoco, and more.
“I just really want to say thank you to each and every person who contributed to sustaining their life and their children’s lives. It’s an incredibly meaningful thing to witness,” concluded Williams.
Williams and Van Der Beek met when they were teens
© Getty ImagesMichelle Williams was cast in “Dawson’s Creek” when she was 16 years old, playing Jen Lindley for six seasons. Van Der Beek played the titular role of Dawson Leery, with the two playing each other’s love interests in an on-and-off relationship.
Last year, she attended the “Dawson’s Creek” reunion event, hosted in New York, to collect funds for Van Der Beek’s cancer treatment. She was joined by Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Busy Phillips, and more. Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in for Van Der Beek, reading the part of Dawson Leery from the series’ pilot episode.
Van Der Beek’s death was announced by his family earlier this year. He was 48 years old.
“He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity, and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” reads the statement shared through his Instagram.
Van Der Beek is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six kids: Olivia, Annabel, Gwendolyn, Emilia, Joshua, and Jeremiah.
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