James Van Der Beek has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, a spokesperson for the actor confirmed to The Times.
The 47-year-old actor, known for his role on the teen drama series “Dawson's Creek,” told People that he had been “dealing privately with this diagnosis” and was taking steps to address it.
“There are reasons for optimism and I feel good,” said Van Der Beek.
In “Dawson's Creek,” the actor played the soap opera's title character, an aspiring filmmaker who was initially distant about his best friend's romantic feelings for him.
The actor is also known for playing a meta version of himself in “Don't Trust the B— in Apartment 23,” where he is a smarmy nicknamed “The Beek From the Creek.”
“Ego is certainly the biggest obstacle as an artist or performer, so any chance to destroy it is really healthy,” he told The Times in 2012.
Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly have six children.
Van Der Beek's spokesperson confirmed his diagnosis to the Times.
His upcoming projects include Tubi's romantic film “Sidelined: The QB and Me” and “The Real Full Monty,” a television special where Van Der Beek and other celebrities will participate in a strip tease to raise awareness about prostate cancer. testicular and colorectal. tests and investigations.
Editor Yvonne VillarrReal contributed to this report.
