With James Van Der Beek’s Death, Three Main Actors from 1999's “Varsity Blues” Have Passed Away

With James Van Der Beek’s Death, Three Main Actors from 1999's “Varsity Blues” Have Passed Away https://ift.tt/Ff1VkxH

The movie also starred Paul Walker and Ron Lester, who died in 2013 and 2016, respectively

From left: Ron Lester, Paul Walker, James Van Der Beek and Eliel Swinton in 'Varsity Blues'

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NEED TO KNOW

• With James Van Der Beek's death, all three main actors from 1999's Varsity Blues have died
• The high school football movie also starred Paul Walker, who died in 2013, and Ron Lester, who died in 2016
• The movie also featured child actor Joe Pichler, who went missing at 18 years old and whose disappearance has never been solved

1999’s Varsity Blues told the story of a high school football team in Texas that tries to grapple with their football-obsessed culture, strict coach and growing into adulthood. The story of the West Canaan Coyotes was a modest box office success but became a cult favorite.

However, its ensemble cast of then-rising stars has endured many tragedies in the 27 years since the movie’s release. In 2006, Joe Pichler, who played the younger brother of James Van Der Beek’s Mox, went missing at 18 years old, and his disappearance remains unsolved. Then in 2013, Paul Walker, who played the team’s original captain Lance Harbor, died in a car crash at age 40. Ron Lester, who played offensive guard Billy Bob, died in 2016 at age 45 due to liver and kidney failure. Now, on Feb. 11, Van der Beek died after suffering from colorectal cancer. He was 48.

James Van Der Beek (left) and Paul Walker in 'Varsity Blues'

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Van Der Beek filmed Varsity Blues shortly after his hit TV series Dawson’s Creek premiered, and he told TEEN PEOPLE at the time in 1998 that he was especially excited to play John "Mox" Moxon, the team’s backup quarterback who ends up having to lead, because he was more "aggressive" and "effectual" than Dawson.

"If there's something [Mox] wants, he generally goes out and getsit," he said. "It's fun to tap into that part of my personality." He added that it was also his idea to dye his hair for the movie, explaining, “I wouldn't want people to look up on screen and see Dawson.”

In 2003, when Dawson’s Creek ended, Van Der Beek admitted that he had a hard time filming the second season of the show after he had a “good time playing” the “strong” Mox. “It was hard getting back into Dawson's head,” he said. 

The actor opened up to PEOPLE in 2009 about working with Pichler on the movie. “He was really sweet," Van Der Beek remembered. “And he was really, really good. I was inspired by him." Pichler disappeared after a night out in Bremerton, Wash. His car was found, but there was no trace of him, and his body has never been found.

From left: Scott Caan, Ron Lester, Paul Walker, Jon Voight, James Van Der Beek and Eliel Swinton in 'Varsity Blues'

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Walker’s character, Lance, was the original quarterback of the Coyotes. "Who hasn't dreamt about being a star player in virtually every sport, you know?" Walker told Entertainment Tonight in 1999 about living out his athletic dreams through the film. "...Here I was, I had the opportunity to play in front of thousands upon thousands of screaming fans, and I was the quarterback on top of it, you know?" Walker also starred in the 1999 teen film She's All That and in 2001 got his big break when he was cast in The Fast and the Furious. He played his character, Brian O’Connor, in six films in the franchise, last appearing posthumously in 2015’s Furious 7. 

Lester, meanwhile, told TEEN PEOPLE in 2011 that he put his “heart and soul” into “acing” his Varsity Blues audition. The actor, who was open about his weight fluctuations through his life, told PEOPLE in 2008, "During Varsity Blues, I was running in 118° heat and taking hits. That I didn't die is amazing." He said that after the movie, he was usually called in for roles that called for “the funny fat guy.”

“Jobs would come down to me and maybe two other guys,” he said. After losing weight, thanks in part to a program at Duke University, he said, “I'm going out for the guy-next-door roles — and I'm one of 500,000 lookalikes!"

During his treatment for colorectal cancer, Van Der Beek used Varsity Blues to help raise money for cancer treatment. In December 2024, he sold autographed Varsity Blues jerseys. "Merch drop! Excited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of #VarsityBlues with a limited edition #4 Moxon jersey — each one personally autographed by me," he wrote at the time. “. . .100% of my net proceeds will go to families recovering from the financial burden of cancer (including my own 😇).”

In November 2025, Van Der Beek auctioned memorabilia from projects including Varsity Blues, with 100% of the proceeds going to the actor and his family as he continued his cancer journey. From the movie, he auctioned off his film-worn cleats and West Canaan Coyotes Hat.  

Varsity Blues also starred Jon Voight, Scott Caan, Eliel Swinton, Amy Smart, Ali Larter and Jesse Plemons.