Best known as Dawson from the hit 90s show “Dawson’s Creek,” James Van Der Beek is now a father of six who’s “lucky enough to have the space to kick a ball around,” according to PEOPLE.
Van Der Beek, 46, and his wife Kimberly wed in 2010 and have six children, Jeremiah, 17 months; Gwendolyn, 4; Emilia, 7; Annabel, 9; Joshua, 11; and Olivia, 12. In March 2021, the couple told ET News about two other “life-threatening miscarriages.”
“I’ve had, actually, five miscarriages total, but the last two were significant in that they hospitalized me. Those were incredibly difficult, emotionally and physically,” Kimberly told ET. “I just felt like I was going to pass. I didn’t know that I was going to live through it. It became pretty dark.”
Their latest bundle of joy, Jeremiah, came as a surprise, as the couple “were done” having children after the miscarriages. After finding a doctor in Texas who helped the couple give birth, Van Der Beek took to Instagram to share their journey.
Recently, Van Der Beek teamed up with Quaker Chewy to promote the “Play Pledge,” a commitment to allow kids an hour of uninterrupted play each day.
“Even when we were in L.A., trees were our best babysitter,” Van Der Beek explained to Good Morning America. “But the fact we can now go outside, and they can watch the seasons change, it’s ideal.”
The “Varsity Blues” actor said being a father is “the craziest thing” he’s ever done.
“Your life becomes shared and your joys become shared joys, and in a really beautiful way, that expands your level of circuitry out to other people instead of just keeping it all for your own gratification.”
While caring for six children has its ups and downs, Van Der Beek is clear about his goals.
“What you genuinely want is to take care of them, to make them feel safe, to keep them safe, to connect with them and feel that joy,” Van Der Beek said.
