It was a night of celebration for Michelle Williams, but her heart was clearly elsewhere.
Appearing at the 2026 Actor Awards on March 1, Williams took home Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a TV Movie or Limited Series for her role in Dying for Sex. Yet during her backstage interview, the Oscar-nominated actress shifted focus from her win to someone she said she’s been thinking about “constantly” — her late Dawson’s Creek co-star, James Van Der Beek.
Van Der Beek passed away on February 11 at age 48 after a more than two-year battle with colorectal cancer. His death sent waves of grief through Hollywood and among fans who grew up watching him as Dawson Leery on the hit WB drama.
“I’m thinking about him and I’m thinking about his family constantly,” Williams shared, her voice measured but emotional. She added that in the wake of his passing, she has been deeply moved by the outpouring of support directed toward his loved ones. “It’s been such an amazing thing as James’ friend and a friend of the family to see the response.”
The two actors rose to fame together in the late 1990s on Dawson’s Creek, alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Busy Philipps. The coming-of-age drama became a cultural touchstone, and the cast maintained close bonds long after the series ended in 2003.
Williams had previously spoken about staying in regular contact with Van Der Beek throughout his illness. In an interview last April, she revealed that the cast had been consistently checking in. “We’re in contact and he’s in our hearts and our minds, and he knows that,” she said at the time. “We’re here for him in every and all ways.”
Her commitment extended beyond private messages. In September, Williams helped organize a Dawson’s Creek reunion event in support of F Cancer, a nonprofit organization focused on cancer awareness, prevention, and support for patients and families. The event brought together several former cast members and served both as a celebration of their shared history and a show of solidarity during Van Der Beek’s health battle.
Fans who followed his journey closely often praised the cast’s visible support, noting how rare it can be in Hollywood for former co-stars to remain so united decades later.
At the Actor Awards, Williams’ tribute was understated but powerful. There was no lengthy speech or dramatic declaration — just quiet acknowledgment of a friend lost too soon and a family navigating unimaginable grief.
Though she stood in the spotlight as a winner, Williams used her moment to remind audiences that life offstage carries far greater weight. Her comments reflected not only sorrow but gratitude — for friendship, for shared history, and for the community that rallied around Van Der Beek in his final months.
As Hollywood continues to mourn, Williams’ words captured what many have been feeling: that beyond the roles and red carpets, the bonds formed on set can last a lifetime.
And sometimes, even in victory, remembrance takes center stage.
