James Van Der Beek's Ex-Wife Heather McComb Says 'I Do' Three Months After His Death

Heather McComb, the former wife of late Dawson's Creek star James Van Der Beek, has married actor Scott Michael Campbell in an intimate Montana ceremony that comes just three months after Van Der Beek's death.

The wedding drew attention because it came so soon after Van Der Beek's passing, following a battle with stage III colorectal cancer. McComb shared photos from the day on Instagram, describing the ceremony as a faith-centred celebration in her favourite city and thanking loved ones who had travelled from across the country to be there.

Garden Ceremony in Missoula, Officiated by Sister Essence Atkins

The ceremony took place in a garden setting in Missoula, Montana, with McComb wearing a white lace dress and Campbell opting for a white suit jacket with black trousers. The occasion was intimate and deliberately private, with close family and friends gathered to mark the moment.

McComb's sister, actress Essence Atkins, officiated the ceremony, and the couple exchanged vows 'under the covenant of God,' according to McComb's Instagram announcement. McComb described Missoula as her favourite city and framed the day as an expression of shared faith as much as a celebration of the relationship itself.

The announcement came in the form of an Instagram slideshow, a series of photographs that offered a rare glimpse into a ceremony that McComb and Campbell had chosen to keep away from the public eye until after the fact.

McComb and Campbell's Three-Year Relationship

McComb and Campbell had reportedly been together for more than three years before marrying, suggesting the wedding was the culmination of an established relationship rather than a sudden development in the wake of grief. Campbell, 47, is an actor known for roles in 'The Mindy Project', 'True Blood', 'Baby Daddy', and 'Rectify'.

The couple's shared background in the entertainment industry gives the pairing a familiar dimension, though the ceremony itself remained centred on family, faith and a private celebration. McComb, who built her own career through appearances in 'Felicity' and a string of Hallmark productions, has largely kept her personal life out of the spotlight in recent years.

McComb and Van Der Beek's Past Marriage

McComb was previously married to Van Der Beek from July 2003 until their divorce was finalised in March 2010. Van Der Beek filed for divorce in November 2009, citing irreconcilable differences, and the marriage ended after nearly seven years together. Van Der Beek later married Kimberly Brook in 2011, and the couple had six children together before his death.

Van Der Beek was born in Cheshire, Connecticut, on 8 March 1977, and rose to fame as Dawson Leery in 'Dawson's Creek', which aired from 1998 to 2003. He also appeared in 'Varsity Blues' and built a long career in film and television, becoming one of the most recognisable faces of late 1990s teen drama.

In a heartfelt Instagram tribute posted on 11 February 2026, McComb publicly mourned Van Der Beek's death, describing him as 'innocent, kind and pure of heart.' She shared a black-and-white photograph from her 21st birthday, taken before 'Dawson's Creek' premiered, and wrote, 'This is how I will always see James.' She also acknowledged Kimberly and their children in her tribute.