James Van Der Beek Celebrates Daughter Olivia’s 15th Birthday

James Van Der Beek’s eldest daughter, Olivia, marked her 15th birthday, a milestone the actor shared with a nostalgic reference to his role in “Dawson’s Creek”—he noted that Olivia is the same age as his character, Dawson Leery, was in the show’s pilot episode.

He posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, sharing footage of Olivia confidently performing at a recent reunion of the series in New York City, which he was unable to attend due to his ongoing cancer treatment.

In his tribute, Van Der Beek described being “awed” watching his daughter perform in a red dress alongside her younger sister Emilia, singing the theme song “I Don’t Wanna Wait” by Paula Cole. He humorously remarked that Olivia seems “parent-proof,” noting her ability to handle mess-ups with grace, and encouraged her to continue taking bold risks.

The actor also shared a proud moment of Olivia and Emilia singing on stage, emphasizing his admiration for her growing confidence. He concluded his message with advice to embrace imperfection, dream big, and stay true to oneself, confident she’ll love her most authentic self.

James, who lives in Texas with his wife Kimberly and their five children, revealed in August 2023 that he was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer, which he went public with in November 2024. Despite his health struggles, he remains optimistic about his prognosis.

Ahead of the event, Van Der Beek shared that he would miss the reunion due to illness but managed to record a surprise video message for fans. Actor Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in to read his lines during the event, joining cast members including Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson.

Colleague Busy Philipps expressed her emotions over Van Der Beek’s absence, sharing that she was “heartbroken” and “sobbed” over Olivia and Emilia’s singing.