3 min readNew DelhiFeb 12, 2026 01:20 PM IST
Actor James Van Der Beek unfortunately passed away on February 11, and all his fans, friends and family are coming together to pay their respects. The actor shot to fame with Dawson’s Creek, in which he played the titular character Dawson Leery. In the season 3 finale of the show, Dawson cries inconsolably after telling his romantic partner Joey to be with their mutual friend Pacey. That moment turned into one of the Internet’s biggest memes, with people sprinkling it in every conversation whenever they wanted to express over-the-top sadness.
While many actors don’t really comment on or acknowledge memes created about them, James decided to do something fun with it. He collaborated with production company Funny or Die and put out a video on their YouTube channel, where he showcased several new memes for the people to use in their conversation. He also unveiled the 10-year anniversary of the crying meme and GIFs for when people are feeling “panic, happiness, or super-sad sobbing”.
The actor talked about the original GIF and the scene in the show during an interview with the Huffington Post. He said, “It wasn’t scripted, I don’t think. I mean, it was appropriate for the scene. You know, it was just high drama; you’ve been living with this character for a while, and a scene like that just kind of drops in your lap, and you just lose it. They yell ‘cut’ and say, ‘Oh my god. That was amazing!’ So I remember being completely surprised by it because it was completely sincere. The fact that it’s being used to mock me now, I think it’s so funny.”
The actor made a series of videos with the platform, including one where he took the blame for setting unattainable standards through his iconic character in Dawson’s Creek. His quirky public appearances didn’t end there, as the actor also featured in the Drop the Mic show on CBS, hosted by rapper Method Man and model Hailey Bieber. He went toe to toe with Ant-Man actor Randall Park, who surprised everyone by his skill on the mic.
