“I know his fans will be so excited to see him,” she added, “and I think he gives a beautiful performance in the show.”

While Van Der Beek gave everything to his craft in the toughest moments of his cancer battle, the actor also emphasized he didn’t put anything above raising his six kids alongside his wife in Texas. 

“With this many beautiful little humans around and an amazing wife, it’s kind of about picking the things that are on the plate,” Van Der Beek told E! News in a 2022 interview, “and then just making human interaction out of it.”

As he noted of how he was feeling in his final years, “I really feel grounded.”

For a look back at Van Der Beek’s life in photos, keep reading…