James Van Der Beek remembered by 'Varisty Blues' co-star

James Van Der Beek remembered by Eliel Swinton

James Van Der Beek's friend and co-star, Eliel, Swinton, remembers the late star. 

LOS ANGELES - Friends, co-stars and fans are remembering the life and legacy of James Van Der Beek, who died at 48 after battling stage three colorectal cancer. 

Actor and Van Der Beek's "Varsity Blues" co-star, Eliel Swinton, shared personal memories of the actor in an emotional interview on Good Day LA. 

What they're saying:

On Thursday, Swinton described the past day as overwhelming.

"It’s a pleasure. It’s been a crazy 24 hours. I’d like to send my condolences, first of all, to his lovely wife, his family, and everybody else. And he’s been involved with with his life because he’s an amazing, amazing individual," he said. 

Reflecting on filming "Varsity Blues," Swinton said the cast formed real bonds while preparing for their roles.

"It was lovely. It was an honor to be in that movie, coming from the ex-football player. But the guys in the cast were just amazing. John Voight sitting down and talking to the boys, walking around like Coach Kilmer all the time, to all my buddies that were the background characters in the movie, who we hung out with, partied with. We were like a legit football team. We had practices, legit practices, with people getting — I had to call my mom. I’m like, am I back in Stanford? Like, what the heck’s going on? Like, it was like that," he said. 

He added that the physicality seen on screen was authentic. Swinton also recalled the height of Van Der Beek’s fame during the "Dawson’s Creek" era.

"Okay, so we’re walking down the street and everything’s just good and, all of a sudden, I turn around and there’s like 200 girls following," he recalled. "I’m like, this is the life you guys live? This is crazy. This is crazy."

Swinton described Van Der Beek as thoughtful and genuine. "You could have an intellectual conversation, but he had like a general love for people in his heart. He had love for the people in his hearts," he said. 

When asked what he wants people to remember, Swinton said: "That what you see is what you got. He was somebody that really cared about others. He was just a really good individual. His soul was pure. That’s why this one, and Paul Walker, too. That’s what this hurts. It hurts. It hurts bad. Yeah. It hurts, bad."

The backstory:

"Varsity Blues" was released in 1999 and became a millennial favorite. The film, centered on a Texas high school football team, remains widely quoted and referenced years later.

During production, Swinton said the five male cast members bonded early, gathering to get to know one another and forming friendships that extended beyond the set. He described the cast as functioning like a real football team, with practices and strong camaraderie.

Van Der Beek’s popularity at the time, particularly during the height of "Dawson’s Creek," brought intense public attention, which Swinton said was evident during public outings.