Shock Romance: James Van Der Beek 'Secretly Dated Dawson's Creek' Co-star Katie Holmes — 'They Decided to Keep Quiet'
Late actor James Van Der Beek secretly dated his 'Dawson's Creek' co-star Katie Holmes during the show's heyday.
Feb. 18 2026, Published 3:45 p.m. ET
James Van Der Beek is believed to have secretly dated his Dawson’s Creek co-star Katie Holmes during the teen show’s heyday, according to new claims, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The late actor, who died on February 11 after a two-year battle with colorectal cancer aged 48, was regarded by Holmes as her "teen love," while another source dubbed their relationship a "brief fling."
'Everybody On Set Knew About It'
The pair, here as Joey Potter and Dawson Leery, kept their brief romance away from prying eyes, but it was common knowledge on set.
The duo starred as Joey Potter and Dawson Leery on the early-2000s hit teen drama. The Daily Mail claims the pair dated before Holmes moved on with co-star Joshua Jackson, who played Pacey Witter.
An insider said, "James and Katie dated for a bit. They tried to keep their relationship secret, but everyone on the set knew about it. Then news of them being a couple began to filter out."
"They didn’t want to talk about their love lives in public, so they decided to keep quiet about it," the source claimed.
Pair Realized They Were 'Better Off As Friends'
The apparent romance didn't last long as the couple saw themselves first as friends, rather than boyfriend and girlfriend.
A second source added: "Everyone loved James both as a friend and a love interest, and James and Katie definitely had a brief moment with each other, but realized very fast, they were better off as friends.
"And that was totally cool with them; they never made it an issue whatsoever."
When Van Der Beek passed away, Holmes shared a sweet tribute to her former co-star on Instagram,
She wrote: "To share a space with your imagination is sacred – breathing the same air in the land of make believe and trusting that each other's hearts are safe in their expression."
After the show ended, Van Der Beek and Holmes moved forward in very different ways.
Going On To Experience Very Different Lives
Holmes later went on to have a very public romance with Tom Cruise, while Van Der Beek enjoyed a quieter existence.
The 47-year-old later married Tom Cruise in a lavish ceremony in November 2006. Nearly six years later, she filed for divorce and was granted full custody of their now 19-year-old daughter, Suri Noelle.
Van Der Beek, on the other hand, married Heather McComb in 2003, the same year the show ended, before they divorced in 2010.
He later married film producer Kimberly Van Der Beek. Together they share six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah.
The actor eventually left Los Angeles with his family for a quieter life in Texas.
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Van Der Beek was unable to attend last year's 'Dawson's Creek' reunion in person.
In September 2025, much of the Dawson’s Creek cast reunited in New York City for a script reading benefiting F Cancer.
The event was organized to support Van Der Beek after his 2023 diagnosis. Though he was expected to attend, he pulled out at the last minute due to a stomach virus.
Instead, he sent a video message, while Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in to read his role. His daughters also performed a sweet surprise solo tribute during the theme song singalong.
After the event, Holmes posted again, writing: "I will never find the words for what these three beautiful humans mean to me. For our shared journey. For our everlasting bond. James, Josh, Michelle… from April 1997 – I love you. James, you got this. We got you."
Van Der Beek replied simply: "Love you! Thank you for being you."
