James Van Der Beek will not take part in the “Dawson’s Creek” reunion set for Monday due to a stomach virus, but he’s pretty happy about who’ll be playing Dawson Leery in his place.
Van Der Beek posted the news Sunday night on Instagram.
“This is the evening I’d been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January,” he captioned the post. “So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment. Despite every effort … I won’t get to be there.”
There was to be a silver lining, however:
“But I DO have an understudy,” Van Der Beek added. “A ridiculously overqualified replacement who would have been #1 on my wishlist (had I ever dreamed he’d be available). Someone my kids would definitely consider an upgrade over me … Plus, he already knows how to get to the theater. So that’s convenient. The role of ‘Dawson,’ usually played by James Van Der Beek …Will be played by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Can’t believe I just got to type that.”
“Dawson’s Creek” aired from 1998, to 2003 on The WB, a relatively new broadcast network at the time. The show — along with others like “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Felicity,” helped build its teen-drama brand.
Van Der Beek revealed in late 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer the previous year. The 48-year-old said he initially ignored symptoms before a colonoscopy confirmed the disease in August 2023, though he has no family history of the cancer.
Van Der Beek has described his treatment and recovery as a “full-time job,” incorporating both medical care and lifestyle changes, but has not publicly disclosed the specifics of his or prognosis.
The reunion event at the Richard Rodgers Theater on Broadway – which first hosted “Hamilton” – doubles as a charity event to support F Cancer, as well as Van Der Beek’s treatment. The “Class Reunion” will be a live reading of the “Dawson’s Creek” pilot directed by Jason Moore, who helmed three episodes of the show in the early Aughts.
