News | Entertainment
9 Feb 2026 13:39
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    James Van Der Beek and his wife meditated under a tree to decide whether they should move to Texas

    The 'Dawson's Creek' actor and his spouse Kimberly - who have children Olivia, 10, Joshua, nine, Annabel, seven, Emilia, five, and three-year-old Gwendolyn together - relocated from Los Angeles to Austin last year but first asked the state for "permission" to make it their new base


    Kimberly said: "When we were flying I asked Texas for permission to explore this as a place to live, just an energetic meditative sort of asking, and I got ‘yes.’ So, James and I took a drive and we thought we’re going to meditate under a tree and see if we get any information about living here.

    "I found an Oak tree that I wanted and James said ‘OK, let’s make sure’

    and he kept driving and then we got to a T in the road and realised we’d been driving on Sacred Oak Lane.

    "So, we went back to that tree and the information I was given was that Texas has the capacity to heal. It’s expansive and nature will hug you and heal you."

    And after a "crazy" year which saw Kimberly suffer two late-term miscarriages and James' mother pass away, their decision to make a fresh start was solidified and they're very happy with the "nurturing hug"

    they've received from the state.

    Kimberly told Austin Life magazine: "We just had been through a crazy year with two late-term miscarriages and my body was still healing and it was hard for me to walk around at that point.

    "I was still just a couple of months out of the hospital from my second one, so I was exhausted. James' mom had just passed, so to get that message from the trees of Texas was the nurturing hug we needed to feel welcomed here.

    "It felt like LA had kind of birthed us out and there was a real calling to move. It came from desire, it came from dreams, and by the time we left LA we were in a deep gratitude for everything it had given us, but Texas was saying, ‘Here’s what you need and we can provide this next layer for you.’ That was exactly what we needed."

    James was attracted to Texas because of its "energy".

    He said: "We wanted to get the kids out of Los Angeles. We wanted to give them space and we wanted them to live in nature. When we were flying here for our anniversary, I felt an energy to Austin.

    "The energy was the same energy that I’d felt shooting 'Varsity Blues'

    here when I was 21 and I realised that feeling wasn’t just where I was in my career or the movie I was shooting, all of which were very exciting, but that the energy is the place. It was really cool to realise, ‘Oh, I can go be there. We can drop in and bring our family to that.’"

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     07 Feb: Khloe Kardashian has "absolutely no fear about death"
     07 Feb: Dove Cameron was "celibate" before meeting her fiance
     07 Feb: Chris Pratt treats every day like Valentine's Day
     07 Feb: Jesse Eisenberg is a "daily patron" of the New York Public Library
     07 Feb: Jennifer Garner once bit a portion of a stunt performer's ear off
     07 Feb: Nick Jonas' daughter needed to be resuscitated shortly after she was born
     07 Feb: Catherine, Princess of Wales has shared a heartfelt message to commemorate World Cancer Day (04.02.26)
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Zoe Hobbs and Tiaan Whelpton are Poland-bound after posting world indoor athletics championships 60-metre qualifying times at the Sir Graeme Douglas International in Auckland More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Insurer FMG has agreed to pay 2.1 million dollars in lieu of a fine - for misleading statements about insurance products to tens of thousands of customers More...



     Today's News

    Business:
    Insurer FMG has agreed to pay 2.1 million dollars in lieu of a fine - for misleading statements about insurance products to tens of thousands of customers 13:27

    Law and Order:
    Winter Olympics 2026: Lindsey Vonn breaks her leg, Breezy Johnson breaks her gold medal — quick hits from day two 13:07

    Law and Order:
    A senior navy officer has pleaded not guilty over charges, relating to alleged misconduct towards a junior officer 13:07

    Skiing:
    Relief for Zoi Sadowski-Synnott at the Winter Olympics 12:27

    National:
    When Valentine’s Day forces a relationship reckoning 12:17

    Golf:
    Golfer Ryan Fox has opened his season with a tie for 24th at eight-under par in the Phoenix Open, courtesy of a three-under 68 in the final round 12:07

    National:
    Worried AI means you won’t get a job when you graduate? Here’s what the research says 12:07

    Health & Safety:
    Drug testing organisations are warning about unusually high doses of MDMA 11:57

    Health & Safety:
    Green turtle released from Taronga Zoo's wildlife hospital after horror injury 11:17

    Politics:
    Christchurch's Mayor says feedback on the new metro sports centre has been largely positive, despite some early challenges 11:07


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd