Roommates… some news hits you right in the nostalgia. For so many of us, James Van Der Beek was the face of late-night teen drama, the sensitive heartthrob whose coming-of-age story felt like our own. He grew up on our screens — and in many ways, with us. Now, his name is trending for a heartbreaking reason — the news of his passing has left fans stunned and deeply saddened.

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His Wife Confirms News & Shares Heartfelt Tribute

James Van Der Beek, best known for his role as Dawson Leery on the hit WB series ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ has passed away at the age of 48. His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, confirmed the devastating news on Instagram, sharing that he “met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.” She added that while there is much to share about his wishes and his love for humanity, the family is asking for “peaceful privacy” as they grieve their “loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.” In the wake of his passing, the family has also created a GoFundMe to help maintain stability during this incredibly difficult time.

James Previously Revealed Private Cancer Battle

Back in early November 2024, James revealed that he had been privately battling Stage 3 colorectal cancer. In an emotional Instagram post dated Nov. 3, 2024, he shared that he had been undergoing treatment and focusing on his health with greater intention than ever before. Throughout his journey, he kept fans updated in heartfelt posts, often expressing deep gratitude for his wife and children, who stood by his side. Even while facing such a serious diagnosis, he maintained a tone of hope and appreciation, thanking supporters for the outpouring of love.

From Teen Heartthrob To Devoted Family Man

Born James David Van Der Beek on March 8, 1977, in Cheshire, Connecticut, he discovered his love for acting at a young age, performing in school plays before making his professional debut in an off-Broadway production of Edward Albee’s ‘Finding the Sun.’ He was a devoted family man, survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children. He was previously married to actress Heather McComb. In interviews over the years, James often spoke candidly about fatherhood, fame, and personal growth, showing a grounded side that fans admired just as much as his on-screen roles.

Of course, for many millennials, James will forever be Dawson Leery — the earnest aspiring filmmaker at the center of ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ which ran for six seasons and became a staple of teen television. The show turned him into a household name and teen heartthrob almost overnight. During its run, he starred in films like ‘Varsity Blues’ and made memorable appearances in ‘Scary Movie’ and ‘Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.’ He even embraced a self-aware, comedic twist on his fame with his role as a fictionalized version of himself in ‘Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23,’ proving he didn’t mind making fun of his own legacy. He also appeared in series including ‘CSI: Cyber’ and ‘Pose,’ continuing to evolve as an actor long after his teen idol days.

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Many stars grew their families in 2026 — or announced their newest arrivals for the first time.

Former Bachelor contestant Sydney Warner announced in January that she gave birth to her second baby with her husband, NFL star Fred Warner.

The Warners aren’t the only stars who have their hands full this year. Meghan McCain, for her part, welcomed baby No. 3 nearly a week earlier.

Adding to the baby bliss, Meghan Trainor revealed she and husband Daryl Sabara secretly welcomed a baby girl via surrogate. Emily Maynard’s daughter Ricki officially became a mom at the age of 20 in January, with Patrick J. Adams and Troian Bellisario later welcoming their third baby.

Soap star Lucas Adams, meanwhile, announced in February that he and his wife had welcomed their first baby together. The View‘s Alyssa Farah Griffin later gave birth to her first baby with husband Justin Griffin.

Keep scrolling to meet the stars’ newest additions of 2026:

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Ansel Elgort quietly welcomed his first baby, a son, after spending some time out of the spotlight.

“Fatherhood is exhilarating, exhausting, it’s everything and more,” Elgort, 31, captioned an Instagram post on Tuesday, February 10. “The present feels more present and the future brighter.”

The actor cradled his son, who was bundled up in what appeared to be a fleece swaddle, in the black-and-white image shared alongside the birth announcement. Elgort did not reveal his son’s name.

“He wakes us up all night and yet I’ve never felt stronger during the day. He goes from crying to laughing, expressing everything he feels and it’s freed me to do the same,” Elgort’s caption continued. “I wanted to keep it sacred, just for us, but now I want to share this story with you as it’s the brightest happiest thing I’ve ever experienced. I hope it brings you happiness too.”

Related: Celebrity Babies of 2026

Many stars grew their families in 2026 — or announced their newest arrivals for the first time. Former Bachelor contestant Sydney Warner announced in January that she gave birth to her second baby with her husband, NFL star Fred Warner. The Warners aren’t the only stars who have their hands full this year. Meghan McCain, […]

Elgort also shared a video of himself playing a guitar in front of his son, who was being rocked in a baby carrier.

Nearly one month before Elgort’s confirmation, multiple outlets obtained photos of Elgort walking around New York City with a baby strapped to his chest. A source revealed to People at the time that the baby belonged to Elgort .

Elgort has stayed out of the spotlight over the years after being accused of sexual assault, making rare appearances following the controversy. He recently starred on two seasons of the HBO series Tokyo Vice, which ran from 2022 to 2024.

In June 2020, a woman claimed via X that Elgort assaulted her in 2014, one day after she turned 17. Elgort allegedly forced himself on the woman “instead of asking me if I wanted to stop having sex knowing it was my first time.” She claimed she didn’t tell anyone at the time of the incident “because he said it could ‘ruin his career.’”

“Years later I have PTSD, I have panic attacks, I go to therapy,” she continued. “I just want to heal and I want other girls who have been through the same s*** as me, you’re not alone. It’s a lot for me to even come on here and tell my story but I know it’s needed.”

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Speaking out. Nearly two years after Ansel Elgort was accused of sexual assault, his West Side Story costars — including leading lady Rachel Zegler — are opening up about the allegations. “We made a movie two and a half years ago, and a lot has gone on in the world since then,” Zegler, 20, told The Hollywood Reporter in […]

Elgort addressed the allegations in a social media statement of his own.

“I was distressed to see the social media posts about me that have been circulating in the past 24 hours,” he wrote via Instagram at the time, claiming the alleged victim’s version of events was “simply not what happened.”

“I have never and would never assault anyone,” he added, explaining that they had a “brief, legal and entirely consensual relationship” in 2014.

“Unfortunately, I did not handle the breakup well. I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone,” he added. “I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behavior when I disappeared.”

His statement concluded: “As I look back at my attitude, I am disgusted and deeply ashamed of the way I acted. I am truly sorry. I know I must continue to reflect, learn, and work to grow in empathy.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Boosie is jumping into the public beef between GloRilla and her sister, Victoria Woods, with his two cents! But rather than speak on the tension itself, he offered a different perspective: artists aren’t as rich as everyone thinks. Despite his efforts not to pick sides, Victoria seemingly wasn’t feeling what the rapper had to say!

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Rapper Weighs In, Victoria Woods Responds

As mentioned, Boosie made it clear he’s not taking sides in the sister-sister beef. However, he explained that being famous doesn’t equate to endless wealth, especially for artists. He spoke about the topic in an Instagram video. The rapper used himself as an example, explaining that if he had $1 million and gave his parents and seven brothers and sisters $100,000 each, he’d be broke.

“If I really look out like you want me to look out, it’s gone. So that’s what I wanted to say about that, but I’m not siding with Glo or Bro cause that’s a family situation. I don’t know what happened and I ain’t getting in no family business. A lot of people in this world think your artist or family member got more than what they have and we be trying to keep that sh*t. But we do gotta look out too…but if you get everybody, you gon’ be broke.”

In his caption, Boosie added a POV from the streets and shared that he’s having sibling problems, too.

“I FEEL IF A ARTIST STILL DOING SHOWS THEY R NOT SUPER RICH ‼️WE STILL WORKING FOR A REASON‼️SAME FOR BABYMOMAS TRYNA TRAP STREET NIGGAS WHO BE SHOWING THAT BAG ON INSTAGRAM SMH THAT 100k HE GOT ON DA GRAM DAM NEAR ALL HE GOT💰HE GOTTA FLIP THAT,PAY BILLS N TAKE CARE HIS KIDS N HIS OTHER KIDS LOL YOU AINT GOT NO RICH N*GGA 💯 BUT THATS ON US TOO BECAUSE WE LEAD PEOPLE TO BELIEVE WE HAVE MORE THAN WHAT WE REALLY HAVE #instagram I GOT SIBLING PROBLEMS ALSO SMH GOING THROUGH IT MYSELF.”

In her response, Victoria Woods didn’t sound off or use insults. Two words: “Na Boosie.” But her comment section under the Facebook post? In shambles with over 1,800 comments and over 700 shares. From warnings to not come for the Baton Rouge artist to others defending the message Boosie shared.

Tap below to see reactions. 

Boosie’s Fans Side With His Take In The Comment Section

Victoria Woods’ Facebook post isn’t the only place fans are defending what Boosie said. In his comment section, over 1,200 comments also weighed in. In between a bunch of 100% emojis, there were replies applauding him for sharing his POV on celebrity wealth.

“You stay speaking what’s real that’s why you will always be the rapper I respect the most you stay solid always 💯💪🏽,” @sno_whyte888 commented.

“Everybody need to focus on they own pockets & figure out how they contribute to someone’s success instead of having they’re hand out lookn for a hand out,” @crownsvision said.

@lulfranco740 wrote, “You don’t even gotta be rich they still expect you to do it.” 

“I think some of the prayers are working … I can see it in plain sight how money can ruin it if you chase it long enough but I’m glad people like you got there in life to warn others what to look out for. That’s what real artists do for their community,” @master_dante_romez added.

@601yumyum wrote, “You can be balling and struggling at the same time ‼️” 

“Real Spill!!! At the end of the day I can bless you with some paper but in reality are you mentally and financially capable of doing anything with it. 🤦🏾‍♂️ Shii be crazy I don’t need no help at f*cking my paper off just too please people. 🤦🏾‍♂️🙏🏾” @onedeep1800223 said.

SEE MORE REPLIES TO BOOSIE HERE. 

Other Celebs Who Spoke On GloRilla & Victoria 

Boosie isn’t the only celeb to offer his POV on the situation between GloRilla and her sister. Like Boosie, Claressa Shields spoke about mixing finances and family. She made it clear that regardless of her wealth, she doesn’t “owe anybody nothing.” Shields added, “If I decide to help you, you better appreciate it.” Also, she said that financial support is a choice, even with family members who had a hard past together. She has also experienced turmoil with family over money, jealousy and resentment.

That same day, hours later, Tory Lanez took a different approach. From prison, he arranged for Victoria Woods to receive $2,500 via Apple Pay. His message, seemingly sent through his official IG account, said that he’d help her out if she’s actually in a tough spot financially. “I kno how it feels to not have sh*t while needing it…I hope God blesses u,” the DM said.

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Meanwhile, Finesse2Tymes shared harsh words for Victoria last week, telling her to get off her a** or go sell it! In a video, the rapper said GloRilla’s sister didn’t do what she needed to “be somebody,” and shouldn’t be dragging her family on the internet. He explained, “You don’t go to the internet and talk about your folk like that ’cause you ain’t got no motherf*****g hustle.” Victoria wasn’t feeling his take, and went in with her own set of insults.

“Now, Finesse, you want to sit here and talk about me selling a** but you the one that got the biggest booty. And you the one that got the tummy tuck. H*e, you the one over there looking like a Coke bottle, b***h. You need to go sell some a*s and get Shugg out of jail, h*e,” she said.

Woods continued, saying he shouldn’t speak on her and that he’s upset about music labels allegedly dropping him. Also, she told him they’re “in the same boat” after saying he’s not “hitting on sh*t.”

RELATED: GloRilla Speaks On Victoria Woods Allegedly Threatening To Assault Her With Firearm After Apparent Arrest Warrant From 2015 Surfaces

The late Euphoria star Angus Cloud had one of his final roles in Your Lucky Day as Sterling, a young man who is badly in need of some luck. Sterling thinks his luck has changed when he overhears a lottery winner, Mr. Laird (Spencer Garrett), bragging about his good fortune. When Sterling demands the ticket at gunpoint, chaos ensues in the convenience store, leaving two gunshot victims and three witnesses: Ana Marlene (Jessica Garza), her boyfriend, Abraham (Elliot Knight), and the store clerk, Amir (Mousa Hussein Kraish).

Sterling offers to split the prize money with the witnesses if they help him cover up his crimes. But there are several flaws in Sterling’s plan, not the least of which is that he’s underestimated what other people are willing to do to get that ticket for themselves. By the time this story concludes, there may not be anyone left to enjoy their fortune.

Your Lucky Day is streaming on Netflix.

Nancy Guthrie
Authorities Tracking Kidnapper’s Gear and Gun

Published
February 11, 2026
10:56 AM PST

By Robert Scucci
| Published 2 minutes ago

The best way to deliver a truly captivating murder mystery is to constantly misdirect the audience, sending them down a breadcrumb trail of clues that reveal a series of half-truths instead of laying all of its cards on the table at once. 1988’s Jack’s Back, a neo-noir thriller about a lunatic on the loose recreating Jack the Ripper’s crimes a hundred years later in Los Angeles, falls into this exact storytelling rhythm. Its insane premise is allowed to wander through smaller details while slowly gut-punching you with reveals that reframe everything you thought you understood along the way.

Playing twin brothers in a dual role, James Spader is straight-faced and deadly serious about solving the mystery in Jack’s Back because of the deeply personal stakes involved. He also does not have the law on his side, since he is quickly considered a suspect himself. His goal is a simple one. Find out who killed his brother, clear his own name, and get the copycat killer locked up before another victim is claimed. Given how precisely the killer is recreating the crime scenes, it becomes clear early on that time is not on anyone’s side.

A Copycat Killer With A Horrifying M.O.

Jack’s Back wastes no time setting up its primary conflict through news bumpers witnessed by John Westford (James Spader), a young doctor who spends his days helping the less fortunate at his clinic. It is made clear that the killer on the loose is recreating Jack the Ripper’s murders in meticulous detail, meaning the crimes will only continue to escalate in brutality.

After spotting his colleague Jack Pendler (Rex Ryon) at the newest crime scene, a chase ensues that ends with Pendler overpowering John, hanging him, and staging the death to look like a suicide. In Jack’s mind, murdering John throws off the authorities by allowing him to frame John for the killings, suggesting that he was struck with guilt and ended his own life.

Unfortunately for Jack, John has an identical twin brother named Rick (James Spader), who witnesses his death through a disturbing vision. Believing he can help the investigation, Rick contacts the authorities with his claims, but this only makes matters worse. The police now have reason to suspect him of killing not only his twin brother, but also the growing list of victims attributed to the copycat killer, largely because Rick offers details that were never made public.

Determined to clear his name, Rick befriends John’s colleague and close friend Christine (Cynthia Gibb) and begins his own investigation while the authorities steadily close in. Maintaining his innocence, Rick also works with criminal psychologist Dr. Carlos Battera (Robert Picardo) to better understand his visions, hoping the truth is buried somewhere in his subconscious. Time is working against him, though, as the killer remains at large and the pattern suggests another strike is inevitable.

A Mystery With Layers

Jack’s Back takes familiar murder mystery tropes and throws them into a blender in the best possible way. Mixed motives, unreliable information, and hypnotic visions gradually bring Rick closer to uncovering the truth behind his brother’s death, while also pointing toward a much larger puzzle. Solving John’s murder only raises more questions, since Jack Pendler appears in Rick’s vision, committing the crime. The problem is that this specific murder feels sloppy and impulsive, which does not align with the copycat killer’s otherwise meticulous M.O.

The real mystery becomes whether everything is connected, or if a series of coincidences is sending Rick down a dangerous path filled with multiple potential suspects instead of a single clear answer. With so many moving parts and conflicting motivations, Jack’s Back constantly forces you to reevaluate your assumptions as the story unfolds. Trying to piece it all together is half the fun, especially if you enjoy mysteries that refuse to spoon-feed easy answers.

As of this writing, you can stream Jack’s Back for free on Tubi.