- - Experts Explain Why James Van Der Beek Was at a Financial Disadvantage with TV Residual Model (Exclusive)

Angela AndaloroFebruary 18, 2026 at 1:24 AM

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James Van Der Beek

Emma McIntyre/Getty

James Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11 at age 48, more than two years after being diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer

Van Der Beek was beloved for playing Dawson Leery on Dawson's Creek, as well as for his roles in Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and CSI: Cyber

Experts tell PEOPLE about what Van Der Beek and other actors at the time would have earned from non-network television shows

After the news of James Van Der Beek's death at age 48 was announced on Feb. 11, a GoFundMe campaign was set up by friends to support his family.

The fundraiser, which has now raised over $2 million, was created to help his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their six children who "are facing an uncertain future," the GoFundMe description reads.

"The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time," the statement continued. "The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead."

As fans mourn Van Der Beek, who died after a journey with stage 3 colorectal cancer, some have wondered how an actor who starred in a number of popular television shows and films needed the support of a GoFundMe.

While healthcare costs are one factor, another is the lack of residuals Van Der Beek received from one of his most popular roles. He spoke about his financial circumstances regarding Dawson's Creek in a 2012 Today interview.

“There was no residual money,” he told TODAY.com. “I was 20. It was a bad contract. I saw almost nothing from that."

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Rick Ellis, media analyst and founder of AllYourScreens.com, explains to PEOPLE that when it comes to residuals, "What you receive depends in large part on original salary, the union contract that was in place when the show contract was signed and whether or not you had been able to negotiate a higher residual payment or slice of the show's profits at some point in the show's run."

He continues, "Generally speaking, an actor receives a base payment when the show airs for the first time and then half that amount when it airs for the second time. The payment reduces on a sliding scale until the 13th time it airs, and after that, the payment is around 5% of the original amount in perpetuity."

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Publicist Tracy Lamourie explains that, "Residuals are union-triggered payments. That's different from back-end participation, which is negotiated ownership. Getting residuals and having ownership are two completely different things. If the celebrity did not negotiate the back end, he will not share in the long-term upside."

An industry source with a background in television business affairs says, "It's exceedingly rare for actors to get backend percentage points on the show, so he likely had no piece of the profit participation and only got paid his episodic fee for the show. Even with a big hit, most TV stars just get bigger episodic fees when renegotiating their contract. It's a writer's medium, so the show's creators and producers get most of the backend traditionally."

Lamourie adds, "If you were young and on a smaller network and didn't have a lot of leverage, your contract reflected that. The WB was mostly a broadcast network, but from a financial standpoint, it operated very differently from ABC, CBS, Fox, or NBC. When you're talking about networks, budgets, scale and syndication reach, all of that makes a difference."

She also notes, "Many young actors in the late '90s and early 2000s prioritized episode salary instead of back-end points because there was no guarantee of long-term value and nobody anticipated the way some of those things are being used today."

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In addition to Dawson's Creek, Van Der Beek was a cast member in over 10 episodes of five other TV series in the years that followed — Mercy (2010), Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012-2013), Friends With Better Lives (2014), CSI: Cyber (2015-2016) and Vampirina (2017-2021). That doesn't include his film work, the culmination of which amount to over 50 acting credits in the two decades since the beloved series came to an end.

Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in August 2023, and had since appeared in four films and three TV series, including two projects which have yet to be released.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”