Editor's note: James Van Der Beek, the actor known best for embodying those formative, angsty teenage years in "Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues," has died following a diagnosis with colorectal cancer. He was 48.
Six months before Van Der Beek's death, he spoke with USA TODAY's Charles Trepany about his experience with cancer and how the illness impacted his outlook on life.
James Van Der Beek has just woken up from a nap as he hops on a Microsoft Teams call.
About nine months after sharing his colorectal cancer diagnosis with the world, the 48-year-old actor's face looks thinner. He isn't shy talking about the toll his illness has taken on him. He admits he doesn't have as much energy as he used to. He has good days and bad days.
But, while he wouldn't wish his illness on anyone, the actor adds it's also given him something else, something he didn't expect: a deeper sense of self-love.
