Aahana Swrup
‘Devil May Cry’ season 2 revolves around the thorny relationship between two brothers, who grew up in two drastically different worlds. After witnessing the death of their mother, Dante, the younger son, remains on Earth where he becomes a demon hunter. On the other hand, Vergil, the older brother, is taken to the hellish realm of Makai, where he becomes a knight under the reign of the ruler, Mundus. As the US Army and DARKCOM wage war on Makai, shortening the span between the two realms, the sons of Sparda also find themselves entering each other’s orbit for better or for worse. In episode 1, titled ‘The Fallen,’ Vergil takes his first steps back to Earth, getting closer to reuniting with his brother. The episode itself ends with a tribute to James Van Der Beek, who was like a big brother to the show’s creator, Adi Shankar.
James Van Der Beek, the Dawson’s Creek Star, Was Adi Shankar’s Best Friend
James Van Der Beek and Adi Shankar met at a “buttoned-up Hollywood party,” where the latter’s eccentric eye makeup instantly compelled the actor to strike up a conversation. Afterward, the two became quickly close friends and even eventual creative collaborators. Most famously, the duo worked together in a 2015 fan film, ‘Power Rangers.’ Directed by Joseph Kahn, with Shankar as a producer and the originator of the concept, the short film presents a gritty and dark take on the ‘Power Rangers’ franchise, which delves into the impact of PTSD on child soldiers. Van Der Beek came to be involved with the film after hearing about it from his friend over dinner.
After learning about the concept, the actor showcased an immediate interest in collaborating on the project. Something similar never happened with ‘Devil May Cry,’ which doesn’t involve Van Der Beek as a collaborator in any official capacity. Yet, for Shankar, the actor remained a close confidant throughout the development of the series. In a conversation with Rolling Stone India, the show creator spoke about his relationship with Van Der Beek and his influence on his work. He shared, “I don’t want to say he [James Van Der Beek] was responsible for season 1, but in a lot of ways, through the development process, all the challenges, it’s like, I told him about everything. Every step of the way, I literally called him.”
James Van Der Beek Passed Away at the Age of 48, Following a Cancer Diagnosis
Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, James Van Der Beek started out as a football player. However, at the age of 13, he suffered from a concussion, which forced him into a year-long break from the sport. During this time, he got interested in drama and soon fell in love with the art of acting. At the age of 17, he made his off-Broadway debut as Fergus in Edward Albee’s play ‘Finding the Sun’ with the Signature Theatre Company. Around the same time, he started working on TV shows and movies, adding titles like ‘Aliens in the Family,’ ‘Varsity Blues,’ ‘Texas Rangers,’ and more under his belt.
Eventually, in 1998, Van Der Beek was cast as the titular Dawson Leery in ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ which soon shot him into critical and popular acclaim. Afterward, the actor undertook numerous projects, and some of his more recent works include the ‘Sidelined’ trilogy, ‘Overcompensating’, and ‘The Gates.’ In 2023, the actor was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and in 2024, he shared the news with the public. Through it all, Van Der Beek remained optimistic in the face of adversity and sought to prioritize his time with his family and friends. On February 12 2026, the actor passed away in his sleep. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children, Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn, and Jeremiah. Fans of his work will also get to see him on the screen once again in his last posthumous project, ‘Elle,’ where Van Der Beek will have a recurring role as Dean Wilson.
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