James Van Der Beek’s Mysterious Last-Minute ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Cameo Has Fans’ Spidey Senses Tingling—What Was He Hiding?
Added on September 23, 2025 inCelebrity News Cards
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Ever wonder if the stars align to bring a little surprise sparkle to our nostalgic hearts? Well, on a Monday night in New York City, James Van Der Beek—yes, that Dawson from Dawson’s Creek—decided to beam in virtually, turning the show’s charity reunion into a star-studded celestial event. Now, with the Sun in compassionate Cancer, it seems fitting that this heartfelt gathering, supporting the F*** Cancer foundation, drew together not just Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and the gang, but also the soothing presence of Van Der Beek himself via a prerecorded message. Battling colorectal cancer since 2023, he couldn’t attend in the flesh—blame those pesky stomach viruses! Yet, through laughter and a sprinkle of star-powered magic (hello, Lin-Manuel Miranda as his “understudy”), the night was a brimming cauldron of gratitude, resilience, and celebration of fandom that’s still raging strong decades later. So, is it just us, or does Mercury’s retrograde nudging suggest we cherish the folks who make us feel like we’re exactly where we need to be—even if that’s through a screen? Dive into this cosmic reunion—there’s so much more to the story. LEARN MORE
James Van Der Beek made a surprise virtual appearance at a Dawson’s Creek charity reunion in New York City on Monday night after he was unable to attend the event in person due to illness.
According to People magazine, the cast of Dawson’s Creek — including Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson — took part in a live reading of the show’s pilot episode at the Richard Rodgers Theatre to benefit the F*** Cancer organization.
Van Der Beek was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2023.
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In a prerecorded video projected onstage, the 48-year-old actor said he had 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,” Van Der Beek said, per People. “I can’t believe I don’t get to see my castmates, my beautiful cast, in person.”
In an Instagram post on Sunday, Van Der Beek announced that he would not be in attendance because he had developed “two stomach viruses,” and that Lin-Manuel Miranda would take his place.
After thanking the cast and crew in his video, Van Der Beek expressed gratitude to fans of the show, which ran for six seasons on the WB from 1998 to 2003.
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“You are the best fans in the world,” he said. “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.”
Van Der Beek then introduced Miranda as his “understudy.” He joked that his kids would consider the “Hamilton” star “an upgrade.”
The cast of “Dawson’s Creek”: Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, James Van Der Beek and Katie Holmes. (Fergus Greer/Columbia TriStar Television/Courtesy Everett Collection)
While Van Der Beek was unable to attend in person, his wife, Kimberly, and their children joined Miranda and the Dawson’s cast onstage to sing Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want To Wait,” the show’s theme song.
Steven Spielberg, who was established as a hero to Van Der Beek’s Dawson throughout the series, also made a surprise virtual appearance at the event.
“Dawson, you made it,” Spielberg said in a video message, according to Variety. “Maybe someday, I will get to have a Dawson’s closet.”
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