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I Don’t Wanna Wait
This summer, he’ll also appear in the Legally Blonde prequel series Elle, where he’ll play a high school dean
In the final years of James Van Der Beek’s life, he bravely battled colorectal cancer while doing whatever he could to keep his large family financially afloat. That included accepting roles in projects like the upcoming thriller The Gates, which just dropped a new trailer.
The movie stars Mason Gooding, Alger Smith, and Keith Powers as three friends who take a diversion while on a road trip and wind up witnessing a murder in a mansion. Van Der Beek plays an evil church leader who attempts to track them down and kill them. “I have been called upon to lead this community, and those boys seek to destroy us,” he says. “You’ve seen what happens when people get in my way.” The Gates is hitting theaters on March 13.
Van Der Beek’s career peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s when he starred on Dawson’s Creek and acted in movies like Varsity Blues and Rules of Attraction. In more recent years, he appeared on Dancing With the Stars and The Masked Singer, and acted in under-the-radar films like Bad Hair and Sidelined: The QB and Me.
Shortly before his death, Van Der Beek renewed his wedding vows with his wife, Kimberly. “We decided two days beforehand and our friends got us new rings, filled our bedroom with flowers and candles and we renewed our vows from bed,” Kimberly told People. “[It was] simple and beautiful and moving.”
The family also set up a GoFundMe page after his death. “The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds,” reads the appeal. “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 support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead.” It has raised nearly $2.7 million.
The Gates is Van Der Beek’s final movie. But he’ll appear again on the small screen in July when he appears in the Legally Blonde prequel series Elle. He plays the dean at Elle Woods’ high school.
