James Van Der Beek's final TV role arrives 4 months after his death
James Van Der Beek's final TV role arrives 4 months after his death
Erin Jensen, USA TODAYWed, July 1, 2026 at 1:01 PM UTC
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Warning: This story contains spoilers from Season 1 of “Elle,” now streaming on Prime Video in its entirety.
The vibrant, pink world of “Elle” is brighter thanks to James Van Der Beek.
The actor portrays Dean Wilson in the “Legally Blonde” prequel series, now streaming on Prime Video. The series’ eight-episode debut season tells a classic fish-out-of-water story, following high school junior Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree) as she adjusts to moving from Bel-Air to Seattle after her dad Wyatt (Tom Everett Scott) gets a new job.
For those asking, "What? Like it's hard?" It very much is! Reese Witherspoon, who originated the role of the brainy blonde in the 2001 feature and its 2003 sequel, serves as an executive producer.
The role of Dean, a mayoral candidate and school superintendent, is Van Der Beek’s last. Dean is introduced in the third episode, which is dedicated to the late actor, who was known for capturing teenage angst in "Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues.”
Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in August 2023 and died on Feb. 11, 2026, at the age of 48. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, whom he wed in 2010, and their six children.
Before the credits roll on the third episode of “Elle,” bubblegum text dedicates the chapter: “In loving memory of James Van Der Beek.”
Dean appears throughout the season while campaigning. He recruits Elle’s mom, Eva (June Diane Raphael), to be an image consultant of sorts. He values her eye – Elle had to get it from somewhere – and her honesty. Eva tells Dean to ditch his mustache and “Ted Bundy” clothing. She also sets him up with her chiropractor and hair stylist. Following his makeover, Eva says he’s now “handsome… in a Charlie from 'Party of Five' kind of way." Don’t you miss 1995?
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But despite new and improved appearances, Dean isn’t the public servant that he seems, and to that, we object!
Elle and her friends discover that Dean and the head of their school, Principal Anderson (Matt Oberg), are embezzling funds. In one instance, Mr. Anderson pocketed money intended for a stop sign, which resulted in a fatal car crash.
When confronted by Eva, Dean apologizes and explains, “A guy like me doesn’t stand a chance against an incumbent like [Mayor Mike McAllister] without funding.”
Van Der Beek previously told USA TODAY that his diagnosis reinvigorated his love for his profession.
"For a minute, I thought, 'You know what? I don't need acting. I don't need it in the way that I did before,'" he said during an interview in the summer of 2025. "I'm very, very happy just doing this here with my family. And then, when I got cancer, I realized I love to tell stories. Acting is actually a real passion. Writing is a real passion, and I need to feed that. So, I joke that I'm the only guy I know who got cancer and realized I need to work more."
Raphael recalled how Van Der Beek would discuss his family “between every take” in an interview with E! News.
“Between every set up, between every small pause in filming, he’d tell me about his kids and all of their different likes and dislikes and where they were in their lives,” Raphael shared. “I was so blown away by what kind of dad he was, and how in love with his wife he was.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Van Der Beek's final role in 'Elle' prequel – How he was honored
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
