DAWSON’S Creek star James Van Der Beek has been supported by his wife Kimberly after he went public with his cancer battle.
The actor, 42, praised Kimberly for being “incredible” after his world was turned upside down.
Let’s take a look at their relationship.
Who is Kimberly Van Der Beek?
Kimberly Van Der Beek (née Brook) is a producer and worked as an associate producer on the documentary Teenage Paparazzo which explores the relationship between Adrian Grenier and 14-year-old paparazzo Austin Visschedyk.
The 42-year-old is also the co-host of the Bathroom Chronicles podcast, which launched last year.
She’s interviewed the likes of Rumer Willis and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, as well as her husband James.
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James has never hidden the pride he has for his wife and in an interview with PEOPLE he said: “It’s been really inspirational for me to watch her get back into something that she loves, and to create a safe space for people to share honestly, openly — to laugh, to cry and know that they’re not alone in the world.”
James rose to fame as the titular Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, which ran for six seasons from 1998 until 2003.
The teen drama made household names of its stars which also included Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams.
How did Kimberley and James Van Der Beek meet?
The couple first met on a trip to Israel in 2009.
Just one year later the couple were expecting their first baby and were planning their wedding.
At the time, James wrote on X: “The woman I love did me the honor of became my wife today,” he wrote in the since-deleted post. “I look forward to earning her for the rest of my life.”
They kept the ceremony private and only shared details on their 13th anniversary.
He wrote on Instagram that Kimberly had a dream about the man who was going to officiate their wedding and even dreamed about the date.
Luckily for Kimberly, he was able to marry them “in the basement of the Kabbalah Center in Tel Aviv”.
The Dawson’s Creek star said: “We rushed to get ready, had a bunch of people we didn’t know (and a few we did) dance around us, got ambushed by Israeli paparazzi afterwards, then ate at an outdoor Lebanese dive with plastic tablecloths and chairs and amazing food… and we were off.”
Since tying the knot, Kimberly and James have had six children together – Olivia, 13, Joshua, 12, Annabel Leah, 10, Emilia, eight, Gwendolyn, six, and Jeremiah, two.
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What has Kimberley said about James’ cancer battle?
Kimberley broke her silence since James’ diagnosis with a sweet Instagram story.
She shared a post from This Is How Things Work’s page about Northern cardinals.
It was a photo of the two birds sharing food on a feeder.
“Northern cardinals, the ‘romantic’ birds that mate for life, travel together, sing before nesting and feed each other seed beak-to-beak during courtship,” it said in the caption.
Kimberly simply wrote: “Hi baby,” and tagged her husband.
James told fans that he had colorectal cancer.
He confirmed to People: “I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family. There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”
In August, James celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary and took the opportunity to praise his wife.
“14 years… I always say it doesn’t feel like that long. You always say it does,” he wrote.
Nothing could have prepared us for this past year – except perhaps the previous 12. Thank you for being the most incredible partner. You’ve broken me open in spots I didn’t even know were locked, and taught me how to receive more love than I thought possible.
“In the past, I feel like you’ve always set the pace for our co-evolution, but this year, as I’ve gone through my own radical transformation, you’ve tirelessly put in the work and somehow managed to match it.
“Thank you for your courage, your strength, your vulnerability and your tenderness. I’m thrilled and grateful to get to do this life with you. And now… let’s have a laugh. I love you beyond. Happy anniversary. Thank you for being in the world.”
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