Dawson's Favorite Director And 44,000 Others Push James Van Der Beek Fundraiser Toward $2.3 Million

Support for James Van Der Beek’s family continues to move in. The GoFundMe created to support them pursuing nan “Dawson’s Creek” star’s death approached $2.3 cardinal successful donations Friday morning.

Steven Spielberg and his woman Kate Capshaw are among nan personage donors who person contributed to nan fundraiser organized by nan precocious actor’s friends. The couple’s aid is listed arsenic $25,000. Those acquainted pinch Van Der Beek’s breakout domiciled connected nan millennial teen play cognize that Spielberg is Dawson Leery’s favourite director.

Originally airing from 1998 to 2003, “Dawson’s Creek” was a seminal teen play that followed 4 friends increasing up successful a mini coastal municipality arsenic they navigated their dreams, relationships and various coming-of-age milestones. Van Der Beek’s Dawson was an aspiring filmmaker whose dreams were bigger than his mini hometown. Along pinch friends Joey (Katie Holmes), Pacey (Joshua Jackson) and Jen (Michelle Williams), Dawson grappled pinch very relatable teen dilemmas including heartbreak, betrayal and bad decisions.

The fundraiser, which had much than 44,000 donors arsenic of Friday morning, was organized to thief support Van Der Beek’s woman and children, who “are facing an uncertain future” owed to nan financial strain of nan precocious actor’s aesculapian costs. The precocious character died pursuing a conflict pinch colorectal cancer. Funds will beryllium utilized to “help screen basal surviving expenses, salary bills, and support nan children’s education,” nan organizers wrote.

Van Der Beek revealed successful 2012 that he had been paid “almost nothing” for his activity connected “Dawson’s Creek” and had not received immoderate residuals from nan deed show.

“There was nary residual money,” he told “Today.” “I was 20. It was a bad contract. I saw almost thing from that.”

Before his death, Van Der Beek auctioned disconnected individual memorabilia and sold collectibles to thief salary for his crab treatments. In September, his “Dawson’s Creek” co-stars helped shape and shape a reunion fundraiser to support Van Der Beek and his family — a reunion nan character had to miss because of a virus. “Black Bird” character Paul Walter Hauser had besides been raising costs done Cameo videos and auctions to thief nan precocious character anterior to his death.

Besides Spielberg, personage donors to Van Der Beek’s GoFundMe besides reportedly see Zoe Saldaña, Jon M. Chu, Derek Hough, Busy Philipps, Jenna Dewan and others.

Van Der Beek’s “Dawson’s Creek” colleagues person besides been among nan galore who person shared tributes to nan precocious actor.

“Several times today, from my heart, I’ve tried to shape nan words to definitive nan beautiful brilliance of James and what his beingness has meant to my life,” “Dawson’s” creator Kevin Williamson wrote Thursday successful a station shared connected Instagram. “But I americium genuinely astatine a nonaccomplishment for words. I will person to spot that 1 time those words will come... But today, each I tin deliberation astir is Kimberly and nan full Van Der Beek family.”

Holmes, meanwhile, shared a handwritten statement addressed to Van Der Beek connected Instagram Wednesday. She was nan first of “Dawson’s Creek’s” surviving halfway quartet to publically admit Van Der Beek’s death.

“Thank you,” Holmes wrote successful her note, which was addressed to Van Der Beek. “To stock a abstraction pinch your imagination is ineffable — breathing nan aforesaid aerial successful nan onshore of make judge and trusting that each others’ hearts are safe successful their expression.”

In her remembrance, Holmes highlighted their shared “laughter, conversations astir life, James Taylor songs” and their “adventures of a unsocial youth.” She besides highlighted Van Der Beek’s “Bravery. Compassion. Selflessness [and] Strength.”

“I mourn this nonaccomplishment pinch a bosom holding nan reality of his absence and heavy gratitude for his imprint connected it,” wrote Holmes, who besides sent emotion to Van Der Beek’s woman and children successful her message.

Other members of nan extended “Dawson’s Creek” family, including actors Chad Michael Murray, Kerr Smith and Sasha Alexander, person besides been among those offering condolences and paying tribute to Van Der Beek and his family online.

“James Van Der Beek was 1 successful a cardinal and he will beryllium everlastingly missed and one don’t cognize what other to say,” wrote Busy Philipps successful her Instagram tribute. “He was my friend and one loved him and i’m truthful grateful for our relationship each these years.”