Hollywood heavyweight Steven Spielberg made a poignant nod to James Van Der Beek’s most-loved character as he stepped in to help the family of the late star. Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, are among those who have donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser launched by close friends of the actor for his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children. The Oscar-winning filmmaker donated $25,000 to the account, which is seeking financial aid after medical costs left the family “out of funds.” The gesture was particularly poignant given that Dawson Leery, the titular Dawson’s Creek character famously played by Van Der Beek, idolized Spielberg on the show. Indeed, this obsession formed a central pillar of his personality and ambition to become a director. Leery’s bedroom was famously decorated with posters of Spielberg movies. The show’s creator, Kevin Williamson, based the character on himself, having grown up as an aspiring filmmaker obsessed with Spielberg. Van Der Beek, 48, died Wednesday following a battle with colorectal cancer. He announced in November 2024 that he had “been privately dealing with this diagnosis” since August 2023. As of Friday morning, more than $2.17 million had been raised, surpassing its $1.5 million goal. Less than 24 hours after the page was created, it had already topped $1 million.
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