James Van Der Beek shocked fans with a surprise virtual appearance during the Dawson’s Creek reunion on Monday.

The actor, 48, previously dropped out due to illness amid his cancer battle, and was replaced by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Despite not being able to attend in person, Van Der Beek made an appearance at the charity event at the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York City through a pre-recorded video. This marked the first time in 22 years that the entire Dawson’s Creek cast came together.

Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams teamed up for a live reading of the show’s pilot episode, all in support of the F Cancer charity. Other cast members, including Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe, and Busy Philipps, also attended.

‘I’ve been eagerly anticipating this night for months, especially since my dear friend Michelle Williams told me she was organizing it,’ Van Der Beek said in the video. He played Dawson Leery in the teen series.

‘I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to see my cast mates, my beautiful cast in person.’

‘And just I want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theater for being here tonight. 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.’ 

‘Thank you for coming. It’s just absolutely humbling just how much you did for this night, and I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every single person here,’ he shared.

‘And, obviously, on Dawson’s Creek, I had an understudy, but this is a problem… and, we figured trying to find somebody who had never understudied in this theater before.’

He then introduced his replacement for the evening, Miranda, joking his kids would consider him an ‘upgrade.’

Van Der Beek’s wife Kimberly and their six kids also attended the event in support. Two of their kids took the stage to sing the show’s iconic theme song, ‘I Don’t Wanna Wait’ by Paula Cole.

‘Was important to him we come!!’ Kimberly shared in her Instagram comments. 

The couple share daughters Olivia, 14, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, and Gwendolyn, 6, and sons Joshua, 12, and Jeremiah, 3. 

Elsewhere during the reunion, Joshua, 47, and Katie, 46 — who portrayed Pacey Witter and Joey Potter — were pictured sweetly holding hands on stage, in videos shared to social media from the event. 

Monday’s event raised money for F Cancer in honor of Van Der Beek, who is currently battling stage three colon cancer. 

In another surprise of the night, Steven Spielberg — Dawson’s hero throughout the series — appeared on screen with a message.

‘Dawson, you made it. Maybe someday, I will get to have a Dawson’s closet,’ he said.

The event was directed by Jason Moore, a Dawson’s Creek alum. He also served as a producer alongside Carl Ogawa, Williams, Thomas Kail, Maggie Brohn, Kevin Williamson, and Greg Berlanti. 

Van Der Beek – who revealed his diagnosis last year in November 2024 – previously expressed that he was ‘gutted’ to not be able to attend the reunion. 

‘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,’ Van Der Beek penned on his Instagram page on Sunday. 

Alongside a poster which read ‘Dawson’s Creek Cast Reunion,’ the actor added that he was ‘gutted’ when ‘two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment.’ 

He continued, ‘Despite every effort… I won’t get to be there. I won’t get to stand on that stage and thank every soul in the theater for showing up for me, and against cancer, when I needed it most.’

However, Van Der Beek explained that his spot will be filled by the Hamilton star.

He gushed that the performer is a ‘ridiculously overqualified replacement’ before sharing that his kids ‘would definitely consider an upgrade over me… Plus, he already knows how to get to the theater. So that’s convenient.’ 

In conclusion, the star expressed to his 1.6 million followers, ‘Everyone please enjoy all the love in that room. Shine some on my family. I will be beaming and receiving from afar in a bed in Austin.

‘And thank you @lin.manuel. You were a hero to my kids before… now you’re a demigod.’

The group did ‘a live reading of the show’s iconic pilot episode to benefit F Cancer and James Van Der Beek,’ per an official description of the event.

Dawson’s Creek aired from 1998 through 2003 on The WB and garnered a number of accolades during its time on the air, such as a Teen Choice Award in 2000 for TV – Choice Drama. 

Holmes portrayed Dawson’s childhood love, Joey, while Jackson played their other friend and Joey’s true love, Pacey. Williams completed the core group as the rebellious Jen Lindley.

The show followed the group from high school through college in the sleepy town of Capeside.

Last year in November, Van Der Beek revealed his stage three colorectal cancer diagnosis.

At the time, the star said that he had been ‘privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it with the support’ from his loved ones. 

‘I have colorectal cancer. There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,’ he told People. 

A few months earlier in July, the star gave an update amid his cancer battle during an interview on Today. 

He explained that he has made major lifestyle changes such as focusing on a healthier diet and doing yoga.  

‘The beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job, I’m just on the journey.’

The Hollywood actor added, ‘It’s a process. It’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life.’ 

He also revealed the emotional effect when fans stated that they have taken the step to get checked after he opened up about his own colon cancer journey. 

‘Guys I see at the gas station, people come up to me at a coffee shop, I appreciate it every time, That’s been stuff that really makes me cry.’

Van Der Beek continued, ‘When people say, “I got checked, I got a colonoscopy, I got a polyp removed” – just to save somebody that journey.’ 

Earlier this year in March, the star opened up about his cancer journey as he marked his 48th birthday.

He told his followers that the last year, ‘has been the hardest of my life,’ in a video posted on social media. 

Labeling the clip ‘What Cancer Taught Me,’ the Dawson’s Creek alum described how coming ‘nose to nose with Death,’ had helped him redefine who he is. 

He said being away from his family for treatment and living alone in an apartment had forced him to ‘look my own mortality in the eye.’ 

As he was contemplating his identity, the Vampirina voice actor said, ‘I was faced with the question, “If I am just a too-skinny, weak guy, alone in an apartment with cancer, what am I?”‘

The Downsizing actor said he was meditating on that question, when he got an answer regarding what he considered his diminished status.

‘I am worthy of God’s love simply because I exist. And if I’m worthy of God’s love, shouldn’t I also be worthy of my own?’ he asked.

The Varsity Blues star then encouraged those watching the video to try to incorporate the message into their own lives, regardless of their beliefs. 

Van Der Beek said his cancer was discovered after undergoing a colonoscopy in August 2023. He did not reveal his diagnosis until November 2024.