Kimberly Van Der Beek Recreates Retro Snaps With Late Husband James Van Der Beek Using AI

Kimberly Van Der Beek is finding creative ways to keep her late husband's memory close. On Tuesday, September 8, the 44-year-old uploaded a series of synthetic photos generated by artificial intelligence, imagining what she and her late husband, *Dawson's Creek* icon James Van Der Beek, would have looked like as a couple back in the 1980s. Posting the images on her Instagram Story, Kimberly shared a snapshot compilation that transformed the duo into retro fashion icons. She told followers that generating the portraits felt like a solid use of AI technology for the day, explaining that she turned to ChatGPT to experiment with throwback styles.

How did Kimberly Van Der Beek use AI photos of James Van Der Beek?

The AI-generated photo grid contained five distinct portraits of the couple styled in bold 1980s wardrobe staples. In the images, the pair wore matching double denim outfits, loose-fitting white shirts, chunky statement belts, and western cowboy hats. Over the image collection, Kimberly penned a caption noting that this was what it might have looked like if she and James were doing their thing back in the 80s. In another section of the picture collage, she admitted to typing prompts into ChatGPT to visualize her look in that era, resulting in the nostalgic photos featuring her late husband alongside her.

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When did James Van Der Beek pass away?

The emotional post comes just over a month after Kimberly commemorated a major personal anniversary. On August 1, she took to social media to reflect on what would have been her 16th wedding anniversary with the actor. In that post, she described herself as the luckiest woman in the world when she married him 16 years prior, adding that the beauty of their marriage continues to unfold daily through their children. Kimberly also expressed deep gratitude in her anniversary tribute, sharing her belief that James remains present and continues to guide their family every day. James Van Der Beek died in February at age 48 due to complications stemming from colorectal cancer. The actor, best remembered for his iconic lead role on the hit teen drama *Dawson's Creek*, left behind a legacy that his wife continues to celebrate online through personal posts and heartfelt throwbacks.