Landman's Ali Larter Is Still 'Devastated' By The Loss Of Former Co-Star James Van Der Beek

"Landman" star Ali Larter is still mourning her former co-star James Van Der Beek, who died on February 11, 2026, years after being diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. Larter, who co-starred with Van Der Beek in both "Dawson's Creek" and the hit film "Varsity Blues," reflected on the late actor's career in a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter. She was specifically impressed by the fact that later in his career, Van Der Beek moved to Austin, Texas to live a quieter life. Van Der Beek had six children with his wife. After his move to Texas, he continued to work in the entertainment industry. "He had such a pivot in his life from this industry, and was able to have these incredibly beautiful children and this wonderful marriage and find some happiness outside of this industry," Larter said. "I'm devastated by his loss, but also going, I'm so happy that he was able to, I think, find some peace and joy in his life."

 It's unclear how close the former co-stars were at the end of Van Der Beek's life, but they did share another fictional world in the 2020s in a roundabout way. Larter starred in the iconic 2001 rom-com "Legally Blonde" as  Elle Woods' wrongfully convicted sorority sister, Brooke Taylor Windham. Van Der Beek's final role before his death was as mayoral candidate Dean Wilson in the "Legally Blonde" prequel series "Elle,"  which premiered in July 2026. There is minimal overlap between the movie and the series, so the pair didn't work together again, but it's a unique new connection.

Although James Van Der Beek and Ali Larter didn't publicly cross paths much after they shared the famous whipped cream biking scene in "Varsity Blues," she seems to be right about the quiet, family-focused life he lived at the end. He paid tribute to his father and his daughter Annabel Van Der Beek, who share a January 25 birthday, in Van Der Beek's final heartbreaking Instagram post before his death. "You are marvels ... and I'm so insanely grateful to have you in my life," he told the pair in the caption. "The world is a better place because the two of you are in it."

Confirming his death on Instagram in February, James' wife Kimberly Van Der Beek assured fans he "met his final days with courage, faith, and grace." Some of Van Der Beek's friends shared photos of the final days of the actor's life on social media. While the scenes are absolutely heartbreaking, they're also proof that he deeply valued his loved ones and focused on saying goodbye to the people closest to him while he could.