James Van Der Beek delivers heartfelt message during Dawson’s Creek reunion

James Van Der Beek delivered a heartfelt message during a Dawson's Creek reunion Monday, appearing virtually at the event held at New York's Richard Rodgers Theatre after previously dropping out due to illness. The actor, who publicly disclosed a colorectal cancer diagnosis last year, had been slated to join co-stars Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams for a live table reading of the teen drama's pilot episode.

In a video message broadcast to attendees, Van Der Beek thanked the production and fans for their support and explained his absence. “I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together. I can't believe I'm not there,” he said. “I can't believe I don't get to see my cast mates, my beautiful cast in person.” He continued, “From the cast to the crew to everybody who’s doing anything and has been so generous, and especially every single last one of you — you are the best fans in the world.”

The reunion event, announced last month, was designed to give fans a one-night retrospective with a live read of the pilot. It marked Van Der Beek's first public appearance with his Dawson's Creek colleagues since the series ended its six-season run in 2003. The evening also featured a message of resilience from the actor, who has kept a relatively low profile since his diagnosis while continuing to work on screen projects.

In a moment that underscored the show’s Broadway connection, Van Der Beek introduced Lin-Manuel Miranda, who had stepped in as his last-minute replacement for the event. “On Dawson's Creek, I had no understudy, but this is Broadway, and I needed one. So we figured we’d try to find somebody who had never understudied in this theater before,” he joked, alluding to Miranda's fame in Hamilton, which has played at the Richard Rodgers Theatre since 2015.

The event’s organizers had plans for a broader Dawson's Creek reunion, but Van Der Beek's illness prompted a rapid shift to a virtual appearance. The table read was intended to be a centerpiece, and the cast's onstage energy was widely celebrated by participants and fans watching remotely. The switch to a virtual appearance did not dampen the sense of nostalgia or the cast's appreciation for the fan base that helped sustain the show's enduring popularity.

Van Der Beek, 48, has largely remained out of the spotlight since revealing his cancer diagnosis in November 2024. He has, however, appeared in a handful of projects and has received positive attention for a recent guest role in the comedy series Overcompensating, which stars Benito Skinner. Earlier this month, the show was renewed for a second season at Amazon Prime Video, signaling ongoing momentum for the actor's professional work even as he navigates his health.

The 2025 Dawson's Creek reunion was positioned as a moment for fans to reflect on a culturally defining coming-of-age series while highlighting the challenges performers face when illness intersects with demanding public-facing projects. Attendees and viewers were reminded of the enduring bond among the cast and their commitment to supporting one another beyond the screen, a shared sentiment reflected in Van Der Beek's message and the goodwill surrounding the night.

The event's momentum continued as the conversation around Dawson's Creek remains part of a broader cultural conversation about nostalgia, celebrity health disclosures, and the ongoing influence of late-1990s and early-2000s television on contemporary streaming-era fans. With the coordinated support of Williams and the rest of the cast, the reunion underscored the show's lasting legacy and the personal resilience of its stars in the face of real-world health challenges.