High School

Remembering James Van Der Beek And His Iconic Role as QB Johnny Moxon in the Film Varsity Blues

The actor's portrayal of a reluctant Texas high school quarterback became an enduring cultural touchstone - and his life mirrored the grit and grace of the characters he brought to life.

Harry Lichtman

Actor James Van Der Beek in his role as high school quarterback Johnny Moxon in the iconic 1999 film Varsity Blues. Van Der Beek passed away this week after a battle with colorectal cancer.
Actor James Van Der Beek in his role as high school quarterback Johnny Moxon in the iconic 1999 film Varsity Blues. Van Der Beek passed away this week after a battle with colorectal cancer. / Paramount Pictures

Actor James Van Der Beek has passed away at the age of 48 after a battle with colorectal cancer. He was best known for his roles in the teen drama series Dawson's Creek and the high school sports film Varsity Blues.

Van Der Beek's roles in those two projects left a profound impact on teen and high school communities, especially in the late 90s and early 2000s.

James Van Der Beek: The Actor and Cultural Icon

Van Der Beek was born on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut. His earliest role was Reuben in a middle school production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. At age 16, he starred in the off-Broadway production of Edward Albee's play Finding the Sun with the Signature Theatre Company.

However, Van Der Beek rose to prominence as Dawson Leery in the popular WB show Dawson's Creek. Running from 1998 to 2003, the series followed the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college.

Dawson's Creek became one of The WB's flagship shows and turned Van Der Beek into a bonafide star. His rise to fame led to a transition into film - a career built on portaying emotionally complex, relatable young characters.

Varsity Blues: More Than Just a Football Movie

A year after Dawson's Creek premiered, Van Der Beek starred in the sports comedy-drama film Varsity Blues. Releasing in 1999, Varsity Blues became a touchstone for high school sports culture - especially football - and spoke to themes of leadership, pressure, and identity.

In the film, Van Der Beek played Jonathan "Mox" Moxon, a reluctant backup quarterback at West Canaan High School in Texas. Mox is eventually tasked with taking over for original captain Lance Harbor (Paul Walker), who suffers a devastating knee injury during a game.

However, football isn't Mox's main priority. He has dreams of leaving his small town and attending Brown University on an academic scholarship. Throughout the film, Mox clashes with his football-obsessed father, Sam (Thomas F. Duffy), and the verbally-abusive, 30-year head coach Bud Kilmer (Jon Voight).

"I really like the theme of rebellion," Van Der Beek said in a 1999 interview. "Of standing up to authority figures who are abusing their power. To me, that's really what the movie's about, more so than winning the big game."

Throughout the years, Van Der Beek's portrayal of Mox resonated with student-athletes who saw football as both a sport and a story of personal growth. The film also influenced a generation's view of high school football, balancing big-town athletic expectations with individuality and personal aspiration.

Beyond the Field: TV, Film, and Humility

Van Der Beek continued to have a varied career of roles. One of his most notable later projects was the short-lived ABC sitcom, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23. Premiering in 2012, Van Der Beek played a fictionalized version of himself and received notice for his comedic timing and self-parody.

In 2024, Van Der Beek returned to the world of high school football as a father in the Tubi teen sports film Sidelined: The QB and Me, and its sequel Sidelined 2: Intercepted. The actor also appeared as himself in an episode of The Masked Singer in 2025. His final filmed role was for the upcoming Legally Blonde prequel series Elle, which premieres later this year.

Van Der Beek's willingness to embrace both dramatic and self-aware work reflected the adaptability and depth often required of high school athletes balancing identities.

Battling Cancer with Courage and Grace

In August 2023, Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. However, he didn't make his diagnosis public until November 2024. The actor stated that he had "been privately dealing with this diagnosis and [has] been taking steps to resolve it" with the support of his family.

In November 2025, Van Der Beek announced that he would be auctioning items from Dawson's Creek and Varsity Blues to help cover costs associated with his cancer treatment. Fellow actor Paul Walter Hauser had been raising money for Van Der Beek's treatment via Cameo and pledged to raise more.

Van Der Beek's response to his cancer treatment showed how his attitude - much like the underdog spirit in Varsity Blues - embodied resilience.

Tributes and Legacy

Van Der Beek died from his cancer on Feb. 11, leaving behind his wife Kimberly and six children. The actor received many tributes from peers and fans on social media.

Van Der Beek's work in projects such as Varsity Blues and Dawson's Creek continues to leave an impact on young actors, athletes, and fans. The actor's locker room speech as Mox became one of the highlights of his career.

In conclusion, James Van Der Beek's portrayal of a high school athlete - and his life outside the screen - helped define a moment in pop culture where sports, youth, and identity intersected.

His legacy will echo not only in film and television, but also in the way future generations remember what it means to play the game with heart.

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Harry Lichtman
HARRY LICHTMAN

Harry Lichtman is a sports reporter based in Montgomery County, MD and the DC area. He also writes for Capitals Outsider and LastWordOnSports, and previously wrote for MLB Report, The Sports Pulse, the Baltimore Jewish Times, the Montgomery County Sentinel, and The Bottom Line newspaper at Frostburg State University. In 2020, Harry won an MDDC Press award for a story about former high school lacrosse head coach Jeff Fritz. Harry has been writing since 2016.

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