'The Masked Singer' pays homage to James Van Der Beek after his death

The Masked Singer paid homage to their former contestant James Van Der Beek after his death.

In the opening moments of FOX’s Wednesday, February 11 show, a graphic read, “In loving memory of our Griffin James Van Der Beek. March 8th 1977 – February 11, 2026.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the American actor’s wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, announced the tragic news of his passing at the age of 48.

With a photograph of him, she wrote on Instagram, “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace.”

“There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

In November 2024, the Dawson’s Creek star revealed that he was fighting stage 3 colorectal cancer after being diagnosed in 2023.

James stated that he ignored subtle bowel movements because "there wasn’t any red flag or something glaring."

He said, “I was healthy. I was doing the cold plunge. I was in amazing cardiovascular shape, and I had stage 3 cancer, and I had no idea.”

Notably, James appears as the part-eagle-part-lion amalgamation Griffin in The Masked Singer season 13 despite his battle with stage 3 cancer.