While he could not be there in person, James Van Der Beek found a way to surprise fans during Monday’s “Dawson’s Creek” cast reunion in New York City with a video message thanking everyone who came out for the event.
Van Der Beek, who starred in “Dawson’s Creek” for all of its six seasons before it ended in 2003, was forced to drop out of the reunion event. The actor, who was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2024, had to back out after he contracted a stomach virus. The event, which was organized by Van Der Beek’s “Dawson’s Creek” co-star Michelle Williams, was designed to raise money for F Cancer.
Williams was in attendance at the event at the Richard Rodgers Theater Monday night, as were her fellow “Dawson’s Creek” stars Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Busy Philipps, John Wesley Shipp, Mary Beth Peil, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith and Meredith Monroe. After setting the message up, the cast members all stepped off the stage so that Van Der Beek’s video could play.
“I have been looking forward to this night for months and months and months, ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she would put it together,” the actor, who turned 48 in March, told those in attendance. “I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to hug my cast mates, my beautiful cast, in person.”
“I wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight,” Van Der Beek said. “From the cast to the crew to everybody who’s donated time and been so generous, and, especially, every single last one of you, the best fans in the world.”
il commovente videomessaggio di james van der beek alla reunion di ieri 💔 pic.twitter.com/50Fuq95v2A
— claudia ⛈ (@arrogantdikhead) September 23, 2025
The “Dawson’s Creek” star went on to introduce his stand-in at the event. “Now, obviously on ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ I had no understudy. But this is Broadway, and I needed one,” Van Der Beek joked, before teeing up his “young up-and-comer” replacement, “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, who ran onto the stage at the Richard Rodgers Theater as Van Der Beek’s video message concluded.
Later in the evening, all of the “Dawson’s Creek” cast members present, as well as Van Der Beek’s children, sang the TV show’s iconic theme song, Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait,” while those in the theater’s seats stood to watch.
In an Instagram Story posted after the event, Philips thanked those who went to the reunion and expressed her disappointment that Van Der Beek did not get the chance to experience it in person himself.
“Tonight was really incredible and very special, and, obviously, James not being able to get there was heartbreaking for a million different reasons,” Philipps said. “But, I was so glad that [his wife] Kimberly and all the kids were able to be there. His dad was there, his sister, Kimberly’s family and her closest friends.”
“It was really beautiful, and James was getting lots of videos, FaceTimes and texts and things,” Philipps added. “We just love him so much, and we love everybody that supported. Thank you.”
