Melissa Joan Hart Remembers James Van Der Beek as First Onscreen Kiss in ‘Clarissa Explains It All’
What To Know
- Melissa Joan Hart paid tribute to James Van Der Beek, recalling him as her first onscreen kiss in a Season 5 episode of Clarissa Explains It All following his death from colon cancer at age 48.
- Hart shared heartfelt memories and condolences on Instagram, highlighting Van Der Beek’s kindness, talent, and devotion to his family, and expressing sympathy for his wife and six children.
- Fans and fellow actors joined Hart in mourning Van Der Beek’s passing, remembering his guest appearance on the show and honoring his legacy in the comments.
Melissa Joan Hart remembered James Van Der Beek, her first onscreen kiss in Clarissa Explains It All, in the wake of his death.
On February 11, Hart took to Instagram with two photos from a Season 5 episode titled “Alter Ego,” in which Van Der Beek played a character named Paulie to Hart’s titular character. Van Der Beek died earlier that morning at 48 after a battle with colon cancer.
“I’m heartbroken to hear that @vanderjames has passed away!” Hart, 49, captioned her update. “He was truly a nice guy, a great father, wonderful actor and will always be my first on screen kiss when he guest starred on #ClarissaExplainsItAll. Gone way too soon but it seems like he put up one hell of a fight.”
The former child actress who also starred in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, continued, “We ran into each other at the singing game show #WeAreFamily about two years ago when he sang a song with his daughter, encouraging her like a good dad does. My thoughts and prayers go out to his 6 kids, his wife and family!”
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Hart posted a second update featuring a clip of her in a scene with Van Der Beek in Clarissa Explains It All. She captioned the Instagram post simply with a single emoji, “💔.”
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In the comments of her first post, Hart’s followers joined her in remembering Van Der Beek and honoring the Dawson’s Creek star’s legacy. Danica McKellar wrote, “A beautiful soul and tragic loss! 💔💔.”
Another fan shared, “I remember this episode so well! He seemed like such a genuine soul. This stings a bit. My heart goes out to his family, friends, and loved ones 💔🙏🕊️.”
Someone else echoed, “😭💔 Praying for his wife and kids. So heartbreaking.”
A different follower confessed, “I remember that episode, but I never realized that was him! Wow.”
Meanwhile, yet another fan wrote, “I am so sorry for your loss. My heartfelt condolences to you and yours. May his memory always be a blessing. ❤️.”
Clarissa Explains It All, streaming on Paramount+