Steven Spielberg Donates Staggering Amount to James Van Der Beek's GoFundMe After Actor's Death
Steven Spielberg Donates Staggering Amount to James Van Der Beek's GoFundMe After Actor's Death
Jane LaCroixFri, February 13, 2026 at 3:00 AM UTC
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Steven Spielbergis stepping up in a meaningful way following the heartbreaking loss of James Van Der Beek.
On Thursday, February 12, Spielberg, 79, and his wife,Kate Capshaw, donated $25,000 to a GoFundMe established to support the Dawson’s Creek star’s wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children after the actor’s death from colorectal cancer on Wednesday, February. 11.
The fundraiser, created by family friends, initially set a goal of $250,000 but has since far surpassed expectations — sitting at close to $2 million dollars already. Several supporters even committed to recurring monthly contributions.
The GoFundMe for James Van Der Beek's family as of February 12, 2026 at 10 p.m. ET.
Other notable names contributing include Wicked director Jon M. Chu and talent manager Guy Oseary, who each donated $10K. Producer Steven Levinson’s wife Danielle Marquez Levinson followed suit, also donating $10k. The Marla Maples Foundation added $5,000, and one anonymous donor pledged $30,000—currently the top donation.
On Dawson’s Creek, Van Der Beek portrayed aspiring filmmaker Dawson Leery, a character who famously idolized Spielberg. During a cast reunion event in September benefiting F Cancer and Van Der Beek, the legendary director made a virtual appearance, telling the actor, “Dawson, you made it. Maybe someday, I will get to have a Dawson’s closet.”
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READ MORE: James Van Der Beek Cause of Death: What We Know So Far
Though Van Der Beek was unable to attend that event due to illness, he shared a message via video: “I want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theater for being here tonight. From the cast to the crew to everybody who's doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you—you are the best fans in the world.”
Van Der Beek first revealed his colorectal cancer diagnosis in November 2024, revealing the news via Instagram with an emotional post. “I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before,” the actor wrote. “I’m in a good place and feeling strong. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready.”
His wife Kim shared the news of his passing on Wednesday, noting that “he met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.” She also asked for privacy while her children and her grieve, saying, “For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
Van Der Beek was 48 years old and left behind his wife and their six children; Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 12, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4.
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
