Dawson's Creek live reunion features surprise family appearance as James Van Der Beek misses show due to cancer treatment
Kimberly Van Der Beek and their six children joined the cast on stage in New York for a live reading benefiting cancer charity F Cancer, while Lin-Manuel Miranda stood in for James Van Der Beek.
James Van Der Beek was forced to miss the Dawson's Creek reunion on Monday after falling ill during treatment for colorectal cancer.
His wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children—Olivia, 14; Emilia, 8; Annabel, 10; Gwendolyn, 6; Joshua, 12; and Jeremiah, 3—made a surprise onstage appearance at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York, drawing tears from the show's cast as they joined in singing the theme song I Don't Wanna Wait. Olivia and Emilia sang solos on the verses while Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson watched, and Kimberly rejoined with the other children for the chorus.
James had intended to participate but pulled out days before after suffering two stomach viruses. Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in to replace him for the live pilot-reading performance, while the rest of the Dawson's Creek cast regrouped for the moment on stage. Van Der Beek later surprised fans with a pre-recorded video, in which he addressed the reunion and expressed gratitude for the show’s enduring support.
Kimberly shared an emotional follow-up video, thanking Michelle Williams and explaining that Williams conceived the night and, along with Broadway producer Thomas Kail, helped make many of the kids' dreams come true. She said James had spoken with her after the event to process what they had just experienced and described the turnout as a gift.
Dawson's Creek aired from 1998 to 2003 on The WB and followed a group of friends in Capeside as they navigated adolescence and early adulthood. Van Der Beek revealed his stage-three colorectal cancer diagnosis publicly in November, saying he was focused on treatment, lifestyle changes and rest, while noting that there was reason for optimism. He later described the experience as an ongoing journey that would be part of his life moving forward.
The reunion night underscored the show's enduring fan base and the industry’s support for the actors involved, with a performance that balanced nostalgia, healing and charity.