Busy Philipps always wanted to watch Dawson’s Creek from the beginning, but after the death of her co-star James Van Der BeekShe’s not sure the timing will ever be right.
“I was thinking about watching it again myself, you know, watching it for the first time, Dawson’s Creek“But I just haven’t done it yet,” Philipps, 46, said exclusively Us weekly on Wednesday, June 17, while promoting her partnership with Supernus Pharmaceuticals And Qelbree for an ADHD campaign. “And besides, it’s, you know, hard.”
The actress, who played Audrey Liddell alongside Van Der Beek’s Dawson Leery in the final two seasons of the hit series, noted that the death of her longtime friend was one of many heartbreaks she has experienced that have changed her outlook on life recently. (Van Der Beek died in February after a battle with colon cancer. He was 48.)
The cast of “Dawson’s Creek” expressed their public support for James Van Der Beek’s battle with cancer before his death. “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He lived out his final days with courage, faith and grace,” James’ wife Kimberly Van Der Beek wrote via Instagram in February 2026. “There is a lot (…)
“I’ve lost a lot of very close friends in the last few years, far too young,” Philipps shared Us. “James is obviously one of them, (a) very public one.”
She revealed: “I think the change in perspective is huge when you lose a friend. And it really makes you realize that every day is all you have.”
James Van Der Beek.
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Prime VideoPhillips explained that loss and grief led her to realize that “you have to live your life with that understanding and move through the world in a way that reflects that you understand that. That’s why I try to do that.”
She noted that her philosophy of life was unfortunately “shaped by loss.”
Joshua Jackson broke his silence on the death of his “Dawson’s Creek” co-star James Van Der Beek, nearly a month after his death at age 48. Jackson, 47, spoke about Van Der Beek’s death during an appearance on the Today show on Tuesday, March 10. When host Craig Melvin asked if Jackson had come to terms with the loss, the actor explained that (…)
Philipps added that Van Der Beek’s death also reminded her to take care of her health after she saw him talk about getting a colon cancer screening. (After Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2023 at age 46, he encouraged others to get tested even earlier.)
“Go to the doctor, get a checkup, make sure you’re taking care of your body and your health, and if something feels off, get it checked out,” Philipps noted.
Busy Philipps in “Dawson’s Creek.”
Everett CollectionVan Der Beek announced in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage III colon cancer, which was discovered during a colonoscopy. Amid his battle for health, the Dawson’s Creek The cast gathered in New York City to read the pilot episode to fans and raise money for F Cancer.
Van Der Beek was scheduled to take part in the event in September 2025, but had to stay home at the last minute due to several gastrointestinal complaints. (He recorded a message for the audience, which was played in his absence, and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beekand their six children were present to celebrate the reunion in person.)
“Everyone just came together, everyone had great ideas and contributions, and it was all hands on deck,” Philipps said exclusively Us in October 2025 of the magical event. “We just wanted it to be special and that even though James couldn’t be there, he would feel the love from the Richard Rogers Theater on Broadway all the way to Texas.”
Five months later, James’ family confirmed his death, writing in a social media statement on February 11, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed away peacefully this morning. He lived out his final days with courage, faith and grace.”
Michelle Williams, James Van Der Beek, Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes in Dawson’s Creek.
Columbia TriStar Television/Everett Collection“James Van Der Beek was one in a billion and we will miss him forever and I don’t know what else to say,” Philipps wrote in her own Instagram tribute to James. “I’m just so sad. He was my friend and I loved him and I’m so grateful for our friendship all these years.❤️.”
Since his death, Philipps has continued to use her platform to raise awareness of her own health issues and shine a light on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
James Van Der Beek shared encouraging news about his cancer diagnosis just two months before his death at age 48 on Wednesday, February 11. “When I heard the news (about my colon cancer diagnosis), I went into a state of shock,” Van Der Beek admitted to Craig Melvin on December 19, 2025, in which (…)
Philipps has partnered with Supernus Pharmaceuticals for the role of “Ms. Represented” as part of their campaign aimed at empowering women with ADHD to better understand their symptoms and manage them with the help of Qelbree, a non-stimulant ADHD treatment.
“One of the reasons I’m so vocal about my experiences with (ADHD) is because I feel like we, especially as women, are so often put in a position of not being willing to suffer in silence,” Philipps explained Us. “And there’s just no reason for it, especially now that we know so much more.”
Busy Philipps for Qelbree.
Courtesy of QelbreeThe Freaks and geeks Alum noted that taking Qelbree “helps” her manage her symptoms, which she combines with “coping skills” and new research to improve her health on a daily basis.
“I just want to encourage people to talk to their own healthcare provider if some of the things look like they resonate with them,” Philipps added. “As women who are in their late 30s and early 40s, we’re also at an interesting time in our lives because there’s also the perimenopause and menopause conversation, but it’s all kind of directly connected.”
Find out more about Supernus Pharmaceuticals And Qelbree on their respective websites.
