James Van Der Beek pictured in September 2012Following James Van Der Beek’s death at the age of 48, many of his fans are reflecting on his legacy of iconic TV shows and filmsAlthough to most of us, James will be best remembered for playing Dawson Leery in the iconic Dawson’s Creek, the actor had a varied body of work on both the big and small screen .To celebrate the star’s life, we’ve rounded up some of his most notable movie and TV performances that are available to stream now…Dawson’s CreekUndoubtedly one of the most iconic shows of the 1990s, Dawson’s Creek starred James in the lead role of Dawson Leery, following the character and his close-knit friendship group as they navigated young adulthood.The show was a revolutionary depiction of teenage life, and set the template for many similar shows that came after in the years that followed, paving the way for so many of those iconic 90s and 2000s shows we all know and love.Dawson’s Creek turned James into a global heartthrob, and also helped launch the careers of Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes.Running for 122 episodes between 1998 and 2003, the show often lands on the best shows of all time, including on Entertainment Weekly’s New TV Classics list back in 2007.All six seasons of Dawson’s Creek are now streaming on ITVXOne Tree HillIn 2008, James had a four-episode arc in One Tree Hill, a TV show that was frequently compared to Dawson’s Creek throughout its run. The teen drama was set in the fictional town of Tree Hill, North Carolina, and initially followed the lives of two basketball-loving, loathario half-brothers, played by Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty. James played Adam Reece, an eccentric film director hired to direct an ill-fated adaptation of Lucas’ novel.The late performer was credited as a Special Guest Star for his work on One Tree Hill, and was the only non-recurring actor to achieve this during the show’s nine seasons.All nine seasons of One Tree Hill are now streaming on ITVXThe Rules Of AttractionJames Van Der Beek in The Rules Of AttractionJames played the lead in the 2002 film adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis’ black comedy novella.A spin-off of American Psycho, the movie followed three New Hampshire college students who become entangled in a love triangle.James played Sean, Patrick Bateman’s younger brother, a drug dealer who becomes obsessed with Shannyn Sossaman’s character, yet is unaware he has caught the eye of her bisexual ex, played by Ian Somerhalder.The film was met with a mixed critical reception, but it saw James finally shake the “boy next door” image that had stuck with him since Dawson’s Creek.Stream The Rules Of Attraction on the BFI PlayerHow I Met Your MotherJames also had a guest role in How I Met Your Mother, appearing in three episodes between 2008 and 2013 as Robin’s first boyfriend, Simon.He made his first appearance in season three of comedy, even appearing in Robin’s “music video” for her song Sandcastles In The Sand.In seasons eight and nine, James continued to make minor appearances, including in an in-show documentary about Robin’s teen pop career and later in a flashback sequence.All nine seasons How I Met Your Mother are streaming on Disney+Don’t Trust The B– In Apartment 23James Van Der Beek and Krysten Ritter on the set of Don’t Trust The B– In Apartment 23In Don’t Trust the B– in Apartment 23, James played a parody version of himself in all 26 episodes.The sitcom followed a party girl, played by Krysten Ritter, who acts outrageously to try to scare roommates away until she forms an unlikely friendship with her latest cohabitant.In the show, James hilariously sent up his public persona and the industry in general, playing a desperate out-of-work version of himself, which often saw him mock his supposed failure to reach the success of Dawson’s Creek elsewhere in his career.The sitcom premiered in 2012 and was cut short after just two seasons, but during its short lifespan earned a cult following.Both seasons of Don’t Trust the B– In Apartment 23 are available to stream on Disney+PoseJames Van Der Beek in PoseJames played Matt Bromley in the first season of Ryan Murphy’s trailblazing ballroom series Pose.Matt was the hedonistic co-worker of Evan Peters’ character at the Trump Organisation, who eventually decides to out his colleague’s extramarital affairs after becoming jealous of his success.Although James’ character was predominantly involved in a subplot, his “engaging performance” was still praised by reviewers, who declared that he helped make “these scenes of ’80s excess a worthy distraction”.All three seasons of Pose are now streaming on Disney+OvercompensatingJames Van Der Beek in OvercompensatingOvercompensating marked James’ final TV appearance before his death in February 2026. In a moment the LA Times described as “passing the torch” of sorts, James made a brief appearance as a middle-aged former frat boy, who realises that his supposed “glory days” are behind him, and warns Adam Di Marco’s high school senior to “to enjoy the day”.James’ final public appearance before his death was at the Overcompensating season one premiere in May last year.Watch season one of Overcompensating on Amazon Prime Video now.READ MORE:Fundraiser For James Van Der Beek’s Family Surpasses $1 MillionDawson’s Creek Stars Share Touching Tributes To ‘One In A Billion’ James Van Der BeekEarly Signs Of Colorectal Cancer You Should Check For HuffPost UK – Athena2 – All Entries (Public) Read More