(UPI) — Actor James Van Der Beek, 47, famous for his roles in the TV series Dawson’s Creek and the film Varsity Blues, has been diagnosed with cancer.
“I have colorectal cancer,” Van Der Beek told People magazine.
“I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it,” he told the publication about his diagnosis and treatment.
Van Der Beek, 47, and his wife marked their 13th wedding anniversary in October, when he promised his wife “much more to come.” The couple has six children.
Van Der Beek said there is reason for “optimism” given his diagnosis, and that he is “feeling good.”
Van Der Beek starred in multiple shows and films in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He played Dawson Leery in the hit TV show Dawson’s Creek, on the air from 1998 to 2003. He performed in other television shows, as well, and was a contestant on the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars.
He currently has another project in production, a Tubi original film called Sidelined: The QB and Me, which is due to come out later this month.
There was no official word on his prognosis.