Earlier this year, the world sadly lost veteran actor James Van Der Beek, who died at the age of 48 following a battle with colon cancer. Tributes subsequently poured in from fans as well as many of the late Dawson’s Creek star’s friends and co-stars. Van Der Beek leaves behind an excellent body of work, and he still has one more film that’s set to be released posthumously amid the 2026 movie schedule. Now, one of Van Der Beek’s young co-stars on that film is opening about what it was like working with him.
Mason Gooding worked with Van Der Beek on The Gates, an upcoming thriller film written and directed by John Burr. The film centers on three young black men who, while driving through a gated community, witness a murder and end up being pursued by residents who believe they committed it. During an interview with Deadline, Gooding opened up about the experience of making the film. The Scream 7 star eventually referenced his late co-star and how invaluable it was to work with him:
It was a lot of trying your best to remain present and having someone as seasoned and giving and considerate as James to kind of lead that way and incite a lot of growth, at least in me as an artist.
The son of Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr., Mason is still relatively new to the world of Hollywood, so I can definitely understand why he’d want to follow James Van Der Beek’s lead in a sense. With that, Mason – who previously honored Van Der Beek alongside Gates co-star Keith Powers – went on to explain exactly how he took his older co-star’s habits and approach to heart:
It meant that even though I was tired every day, I still felt like I was being productive and educated on the nature of leading a film, and how to lead with grace and be considerate of all others as he does so effortlessly.
Gooding also had some other sweet sentiments to share about Van Der Beek, as he called their time together on set both “impactful and meaningful.” Adding to that, Gooding said that, at present, he could “engage and share with [his] understanding of James in his personhood, outside of his work”. What Gooding was referencing is that he could appreciate Van Der Beek beyond his position as an actor and appreciate him for the human being that he was. That seems to be a common thread amongst the tributes to the Varsity Blues star.
Many of Van Der Beek’s colleagues spoke highly of him after his death, with plenty of them lauding not only his skills as an actor but his character as well. At the same time, stars like Zoe Saldaña and Steven Spielberg also donated generous amounts of money to the GoFundMe set up on behalf of Van Der Beek’s family.
The Gates, which opens in theaters on March 13, also isn’t the only posthumous project for James Van Der Beek, as he’s also set to appear in the Legally Blonde prequel TV series. In some ways, it’s still tough to fathom that Van Der Beek is no longer with us. His legacy, however, could surely endure, especially if Mason Gooding and others continue to reflect on his work and their personal experiences with him.
