Amazon’s Legally Blonde prequel series Elle recently featured a notable posthumous appearance by James Van Der Beek. The late actor, who passed away in February at age 48, portrayed a corrupt school district superintendent in a role that was both engaging and self-aware, reminiscent of his work since Dawson’s Creek.
Van Der Beek is among several actors who have delivered remarkable performances on television after their deaths. Below are some of the most distinguished posthumous TV appearances.
Robert Forster, Better Call Saul
Robert Forster played a small but crucial role in Breaking Bad as a vacuum cleaner repairman who secretly sheltered wanted criminals. Unlike a typical plot device, Forster’s portrayal was nuanced—calm, subtly amused, and morally ambiguous. His brief appearance in Better Call Saul, where he agrees to help Jimmy McGill disappear, was enriched by the character’s backstory from Breaking Bad, making the cameo feel fully developed.
Miguel Ferrer, Twin Peaks: The Return
The series Twin Peaks: The Return carries an elegiac tone, partly due to the number of actors who died between filming and broadcast. Catherine E Coulson, Warren Frost, and Marvin Rosand all completed their roles shortly before passing. Miguel Ferrer, portraying FBI agent Albert Rosenfield, had the most prominent role among them. His character’s sharp edges were softened by age since the original Twin Peaks, and his performance was tender and impactful, earning him a posthumous Saturn Award nomination.
Carrie Fisher, Catastrophe
While many recall Carrie Fisher’s posthumous role as a CGI recreation in Star Wars Episode IX, a more fitting and authentic performance was in the series Catastrophe. Fisher played Rob Delaney’s mother, a character who was rude, brittle, unsentimental, and highly humorous. She filmed the third series before her death, and the final episode of that season was dedicated to her memory.
Bernard Cribbins, Doctor Who
Bernard Cribbins’ portrayal of Wilf Mott in Doctor Who is significant within the show’s lore. Wilf, initially Donna Noble’s grandfather, evolved into the Doctor’s companion and a father figure. Cribbins reprised the role in the 2022 episode Wild Blue Yonder, filmed from a wheelchair just months before his death. The performance was heartfelt and served as a poignant farewell to a beloved actor.
Chadwick Boseman, What If…?
Chadwick Boseman’s passing shocked the world, especially as he was at the peak of his career. His final film role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, released posthumously, earned him an Oscar nomination. The following year, his voice work for Marvel’s animated series What If…? was released. As T’Challa, the Black Panther, Boseman delivered a lighthearted and mischievous performance that showed no indication of his illness.
Ray Liotta, Black Bird
Ray Liotta experienced a late-career resurgence before his death, notably in David Chase’s The Many Saints of Newark and the series Black Bird, for which he received a posthumous Emmy nomination. In Black Bird, he played James “Big Jim” Keene, the father of an FBI operative who goes undercover to catch a serial killer. Liotta’s portrayal was both loving and intimidating, arguably his finest work.
John Spencer, The West Wing
John Spencer died during the production of The West Wing’s final season. The show incorporated his passing into the storyline, centering the election night episode around it. This approach allowed both cast and viewers to grieve the loss of the actor and his character. Spencer’s performances prior to his death showed noticeable frailty, lending a sense of inevitability to his final scenes.
Rob Reiner, Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness
Rob Reiner’s last screen appearance aired seven months after his unexpected death, on Larry David’s historical sketch show. He portrayed George Washington, announcing he would not seek a third presidential term to uphold the constitution’s sanctity. The scene includes onlookers, primarily Larry David, predicting the future rise of Donald Trump. As chaos unfolds, Reiner’s character sighs,
“We’re fucked.”
