Former DWTS Fan-Favorite Revealed on “The Masked Singer”

he “Dancing with the Stars” fan-favorite and “Dawson’s Creek” star James Van Der Beek was revealed as the Griffin during the March 19 episode of “The Masked Singer”.

The Fox competition series, where celebrities perform in elaborate disguises while a panel of judges and viewers try to guess their identities, unmasked Van Der Beek after his performances of the songs, “Something in the Water” and “I Had Some Help.”

Van Der Beek surprised audiences with his vocal abilities before being eliminated in episode 6, season 13 of “The Masked Singer”.

James Van Der Beek Unmasked—On “The Masked Singer” and in His Cancer Battle

When his identity was unveiled, Van Der Beek opened up about his recent battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer. The actor had privately been dealing with his health struggles before announcing his diagnosis in November 2024.

“Recently, we got some news that changed everything. It’s been a really tough year,” Van Der Beek said during the episode, as quoted by Variety. “But fortunately, we’ve been able to face this challenge together, in our home. I would not have gotten through all of this without them. They make me smile through the tough days and are strong for me when I sometimes can’t be. They sit beside me through it all. They’re my safe space. My home.”

Following the episode, Van Der Beek shared a behind-the-scenes Instagram post, showing clips of his time in the Griffin costume. The footage featured moments with his wife and children, who were by his side throughout his journey on the show, offering their support.

How the Judges Reacted to Griffin’s Identity

Guest panelist Casey Wilson, filling in for Rita Ora, successfully guessed Van Der Beek’s identity. Meanwhile, Robin Thicke predicted it was Kyle Chandler, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessed Chad Michael Murray, and Ken Jeong picked Josh Hartnett.

Prior to his elimination, Van Der Beek performed “Rewrite the Stars” by Zac Efron and Zendaya in Week 1 and “Disturbia” by Rihanna in Week 2.

While he didn’t take home the ‘Masked Singer’ trophy, Van Der Beek is no stranger to competitive reality television. In 2019, he competed on season 28 of “Dancing with the Stars”, where he was paired with DWTS pro Emma Slater. He made it to the semifinals before being eliminated. The elimination was particularly emotional, as Van Der Beek had revealed earlier in the episode that his wife, Kimberly, had suffered a miscarriage over the weekend. Despite receiving support from fellow contestants, the judges chose to save another couple, leading to Van Der Beek’s departure from the competition.

Van Der Beek’s reveal on “The Masked Singer” brought a wave of support from fans, many of whom were moved by his resilience and openness about his health journey.