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Remembering James Van Der Beek of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23; The Way Home Returns for Final Season in April on Hallmark

Actor James Van Der Beek, who played a fictionalized version of himself on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, has died. He died on February 11 in Austin, Texas, after a multi-year battle with colorectal cancer. Mr. Van Der Beek was only 48.

Van Der Beek's first television credit was as Paulie, a boy whom Clarissa (Melissa Joan Hart) attracts as her punk alter-ego Jade, in a 1993 episode of the Nickelodeon sitcom Clarissa Explains It All. He appeared as Stephen Anderson in three episodes of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1995. He guest starred as Ethan in a 1996 episode of the ABC sitcom Aliens in the Family.

He starred as Dawson Leery in the 1998-2003 The WB teen drama Dawson's Creek. The series, which aired for six seasons, is about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. Dawson Leery is an introspective 15-year-old who aspires to be a filmmaker just like his hero Steven Spielberg. Throughout the series he has romantic relationships with his childhood friend Joey Potter (Katie Holmes) and his neighbor Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams).

Van Der Beek played a fictionalized version of himself on the 2012-2013 ABC sitcom Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (also known as Apartment 23). Krysten Ritter stars as Chloe, an irresponsible party girl who searches for roommates by asking for rent up front and then behaving outrageously until they leave. He is a close friend of Chloe's who is desperate to revitalize his dwindling acting career. The cast included Dreama Walker, Liza Lapira, Michael Blaiklock, Eric André, and Ray Ford.

He starred as Will Stokes in the short-lived 2014 CBS sitcom Friends with Better Lives. The series follows six people who all think their friends have better lives. Will Stokes is a gynecologist who returns to the bachelor life after learning of his wife's infidelity. The series also starred Majandra Delfino, Zoe Lister-Jones, Brooklyn Decker, Rick Donald, and Kevin Connolly.

Van Der Beek had a recurring role as Simon Tremblay, one of Robin Scherbatsky's (Cobie Smulders) former boyfriends, in three episodes of How I Met Your Mother in 2008 and 2013. In 2017, he guest starred as Bo Johnson in an episode of Modern Family. He appeared as Charlie in two episodes of the Prime Video comedy Overcompensating in 2025.

In 2026, he will posthumously appear as Dean Wilson in the Legally Blonde prequel television series Elle. The Prime Video comedy series explores the high school years of teenage Elle Woods (originally portrayed by Reese Witherspoon), set to be portrayed by newcomer Lexi Minetree. Elle is scheduled to premiere on July 1, 2026.

He had a recurring role as Dr. Joe Briggs, the new Chief of the ICU, in 11 episodes of the NBC medical drama Mercy in 2010. He starred as Senior Field Agent Elijah Mundo in the 2015-2016 CBS police procedural drama CSI: Cyber. In 2018, he starred as Matt Bromley, Stan's (Evan Peters) kingpin boss, in the first season of the FX drama Pose. He voiced Boris Hauntley in the 2017-2021 Disney Junior animated series Vampirina.

Some of his other television guest appearances included Criminal Minds (2 episodes), Ugly Betty, One Tree Hill (4 episodes), Medium, The Forgotten, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Franklin & Bash, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Walker. He hosted Saturday Night Live on January 16, 1999. He was a contestant in the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2019.

He starred as Jonathon "Mox" Moxon in the 1999 coming-of-age sports comedy-drama film Varsity Blues. In 2002, he portrayed Sean Bateman (younger brother of American Psycho protagonist Patrick Bateman) in Roger Avary's film adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis's The Rules of Attraction. Some of his other film credits included Angus (1995), Texas Rangers (2001), Formosa Betrayed (2009), Labor Day (2013), and Bad Hair (2020).

Mr. Van Der Beek was a talented and versatile actor. He was funny and memorable playing a fictionalizd version of himself on Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. He had great comedic timing and was a scene stealer. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment that he brought us during his career. He will be greatly missed.

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We also remember actor Charles C. Stevenson Jr., who played the bartender Smitty on Will & Grace. He died on January 19 of natural causes in Camarillo, California. Mr. Stevenson Jr. was 95.

Stevenson Jr. had a recurring role as Smitty in 12 episodes of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace from 2002 to 2006 and the revival from 2017 to 2020. Smitty is a bartender who regularly serves Karen (Megan Mullally) at different establishments.

Some of his other sitcom appearances included Cheers, Dream On, Designing Women, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, The Jackie Thomas Show (3 episodes), Empty Nest, Hope & Gloria, Women of the House, The John Larroquette Show, Sister, Sister (1996), NewsRadio, Family Matters, Ellen, 3rd Rock from the Sun, For Your Love, The Jamie Foxx Show, Malibu, CA (1999), Everybody Loves Raymond, Boy Meets World, Spin City, Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, Suddenly Susan (2 episodes), The Drew Carey Show (2 episodes), Scrubs, Less Than Perfect, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Rodney, My Wife and Kids, According to Jim, Out of Practice, Curb Your Enthusiasm, My Name Is Earl, Samantha Who?, The Office, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, The Middle (2 episodes), Instant Mom, Dads, and Bad Judge.

Mr. Stevenson Jr. appeared in more than 100 television series and films over his decades-long career. He was cast as reverends or ministers on screen so often that it prompted him to describe his job as mainly "marrying or burying people". We thank him for his work on television and in films. He will be sorely missed.

Fans of Hallmark Channel's critically acclaimed, hit series The Way Home get to jump back into the pond for more twists and turns of the Landry family's journey continues. The fourth and final season premieres on the network Sunday, April 19 (9:00 p.m. ET/PT), streams next day on Hallmark+.

Series stars Andie MacDowell (Maid, Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove), Chyler Leigh (Supergirl, Grey's Anatomy), Evan Willams (Blonde, Versailles), Sadie Laflamme-Snow (The Apprentice) and Spencer MacPherson (School Spirits) all reprise their roles, as do Julia Tomasone (Ghostwriter), Jordan Doww (Ganymede) and Devin Cecchetto (The Parker Andersons/Amelia Parker), who joined the cast last season. With the Landry family's time travels taking them to 1925 in season four comes the introduction of Bianca Melchior (Wicked, Schmigadoon!) as young Fern Landry as well as Hallmark fan favorites Gabriel Hogan (Hannah Swensen Mysteries) as Grayson Goodwin and Dan Jeannotte (All I Need for Christmas, Good Witch) as Port Haven's new Temperance Inspector Cliff Kane.

New journeys and revelations await the Landry family across generations. At the beginning of season four, Alice (Laflamme-Snow) is about to graduate high school, Kat (Leigh) and Elliot (Williams) dream of the next steps for their relationship while Del (MacDowell) realizes she will soon be an empty-nester again. But Del, Kat, Alice and Elliot should know by now that no matter how hard they try to focus on the future, the past is never gone. As more mysteries are unearthed, the Port Haven of the past and the Landry family of generations before might just contain the answers they seek.

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:15 PM

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Labels: Dawson's Creek, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23, Friends with Better Lives, Hallmark Channel, Obits, Will & Grace