James Van Der Beek is auctioning off memorabilia from Dawson's Creek and Varsity Blues to help cover the costs of his treatment for stage 3 colorectal cancer.
The 48-year-old actor has partnered with UK-based memorabilia specialist Propstore for its Winter Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, which runs from 5 to 7 December in London with online bidding available worldwide. All proceeds from his lots will go towards his medical costs.
Items going under the hammer include Dawson Leery’s outfit from the Dawson’s Creek pilot episode, the necklace his character gave Joey Potter in the series, a flannel shirt and white Arcadia sweater worn on screen, and props from Dawson’s bedroom, such as an E.T. plush and an Indiana Jones figurine box.
Memorabilia from his 1999 film Varsity Blues is also included, among them a West Canaan Coyotes hat and black-and-white Reebok cleats.
"There’s not a lot of actors that are ever gifted these items from these shows. So, it was very special that he was able to take them," said Maegen Hensley, director of Propstore asset management.
Van Der Beek revealed in late 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer and has spoken about the financial and personal impact of the disease. He has described living with cancer as a demanding, ongoing process, while stressing that he remains hopeful about his prognosis.
Reflecting on the decision to part with his collection, he told People magazine: "I’ve been storing these treasures for years, waiting for the right time to do something with them," adding that "it’s clear that the time is now".
Born in Connecticut, Van Der Beek became a teenage star in the late 1990s playing aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek, which ran from 1998 to 2003 and became one of the defining US teen dramas of its era.
He went on to appear in films such as Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction and in series including CSI: Cyber, Don’t Trust the B*** in Apartment 23* and Pose.
In recent years he has continued to work while undergoing treatment, appearing in TV projects such as Walker and a romance drama, Sidelined: The QB and Me.
