Reese Witherspoon is mourning the loss of James Van Der Beek.
The actress paid tribute to the late actor on her Instagram Story Wednesday, calling herself “devastated” by his passing.
She described him as an “extraordinary, talented man who also showed great kindness and grace in every action,” adding that she’s praying for his family.
Van Der Beek died in Austin, Texas. While an official cause of death hasn’t been released, he’d been battling stage 3 colorectal cancer since August 2023.
His final acting role will come in the upcoming TV series ‘Elle,’ based on Witherspoon’s iconic character Elle Woods from 2001’s ‘Legally Blonde.’ The Oscar winner serves as executive producer on the show, which premieres July 1. In the series, Van Der Beek portrays Dean Wilson, a school superintendent and mayoral candidate.
The 48-year-old enjoyed a successful Hollywood career, breaking out as Dawson Leery on the hit ’90s series ‘Dawson’s Creek.’ He later landed recurring roles on ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ ‘One Tree Hill,’ and ‘Pose,’ plus starred in films including ‘Varsity Blues,’ ‘Scary Movie,’ and ‘The Rules of Attraction.’
He’s survived by his wife Kimberly, and their six children.