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James Van Der Beek, who rose to fame in the 1990s as the star of the 1990s and 2000s teen drama Dawson’s Creek, is being forced to sell memorabilia from the show as he battles colorectal cancer.
Van Der Beek, 48, was diagnosed in August of 2023 and made his fight against the disease public in Novemeber of 2024.
In a recent interview with People, he discussed plans to auction off notable memorabilia from the show – as well as the 1999 hit movie Varsity Blues – in order to fund his treatment.
“I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them, and with all of the recent unexpected twists and turns life has presented recently, it’s clear that the time is now,” Van Der Beek said.
James Van Der Beek Auctioning Off Notable Props To Fund Cancer Treatment
Van Der Beek is dealing with stage 3 cancer and is a father of six. All proceeds from the sales of the items will go directly to his treatment.
Among the items for sale are the necklace Dawson (played by Van Der Beek) gifted Joey for prom. The necklace is estimated to bring in anywhere from $26,400 to $52,800. He is also set to auction off the outfit worn by Dawson’s on the show’s pilot, which is valued at nearly $4,000.
Winter Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction is set to handle the sales, which will take place from Dec. 5–7. Live, in-room bidding will take place on Dec. 6 in London. Global bidding will then follow on Dec. 7.
Van Der Beek says he’s not overly thrilled about letting the items go. But he is happy about longtime fans having the opportunity to access them.
“While I have some nostalgia tugging at me as I part with these items, it feels good to be able to offer them through Propstore’s auction to share with those who have supported my work over the years,” he stated.