Actor Joshua Jackson has spoken publicly for the first time since the death of his ‘Dawson’s Creek‘ co-star James Van Der Beek and reflected on the loss and called for greater awareness of health screenings.

Van Der Beek, best known as Dawson Leery from the hit teen series, died on February 11, 2026after a three-year battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. He was diagnosed with the disease in 2023. His family says he lived his last days with “faith, courage, and grace.” He leaves behind his wife, Kimberly, and six children, ages 4-15.

Almost one month after Van Der Beek died, Jackson — who played Pacey Witter on the show — appeared on ‘Today’ on March 10, 2026, to share fond memories of his friend and former co-star. As Jackson reflected on their time working together, he reiterated that Van Der Beek had become an incredibly devoted family man over the years. Now, as a father himself, Jackson sees the tragedy differently as a parent and describes the effect of Van Der Beek’s death on his family as “enormous.”

Jackson used this opportunity to encourage others to seek preventative care through early screenings.

In recent years, the number of cases of early-onset colorectal cancer among young adults has also been increasing, so health professionals warn that early detection through screening will become even more important. Currently, guidelines recommend that average-risk individuals initiate screenings starting at age 45.

Messages of remembrance for Van Der Beek from the entertainment world came from fellow Dawson’s Creek cast members, including Michelle Williams and Katie Holmes. Jackson’s comments and use of personal tragedy to promote public health awareness mark a larger trend of many celebrities converting their losses into a means of raising public health awareness.