James Van Der Beek sues SiriusXM after podcast deal falls through

James Van Der Beek has sued SiriusXM over a failed podcast deal.

The Dawson’s Creek alum filed a complaint for breach of contract in Los Angeles, claiming that SiriusXM agreed to a deal worth a minimum of $700k (£599k) for 40 podcast episodes.

According to Van Der Beek, the podcast would have explored his life as an actor and father.

Other financial terms outlined by the lawsuit, which was obtained by Entertainment Weekly, include a $153k (£130k) production budget and $50k (£42.7k) marketing budget, both recouped against revenue.

“The agreed-upon deal even provided [SiriusXM] with a first look so that [Van Der Beek] could not work on any other podcasts,” the suit reads. “Yet, after the project was green lit and several subsequent actions had been taken by [SiriusXM] to set the podcast up, Sirius and Stitcher reneged on the agreement and told [Van Der Beek] that they would not perform.”

Van Der Beek also claimed that he had stopped negotiating with other interested parties and declined acting opportunities, per the complaint.

The Independent has contacted SiriusXM for comment.

Van Der Beek has requested SiriusXM to pay him a minimum of $700k (£599k) among other damages including attorney fees.

Van Der Beek is best known for his portrayal of Dawson Leery in the WB series Dawson’s Creek and Johnny “Mox” Moxon in Varsity Blues.

He also played a fictionalised version of himself on the cult ABC sitcom Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23, and starred in CSI: Cyber as FBI Special Agent Elijah Mundo.