James Van Der Beek Appears at Dawson’s Creek Reunion Amid Cancer Battle

James Van Der Beek found a way to make a surprise — and rare — virtual appearance at the Dawson’s Creek cast reunion amid his cancer battle.

Ahead of the Monday, September 22, live reading of the Dawson’s Creek pilot at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway, Van Der Beek, 48, revealed he wouldn’t be able to attend while healing from an illness.

“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… 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,” he wrote via Instagram on Sunday, September 21. “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.”

Van Der Beek, who is battling stage III colon cancer, was replaced by Lin-Manuel Miranda in the role of Dawson.

“But I DO have an understudy. 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,” he continued. “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.”

On Monday, Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson kicked off the event with a message for the crowd from Van Der Beek.

“I can’t believe I’m not there,” he said in a prerecorded message played on stage. “I can’t believe I don’t get to hug my castmates, my beautiful cast, in person, and I just wanted to stand on that stage and thank every single person in this theater for being here tonight — from the cast to the crew to everybody who donated their time and has been so generous. And especially every single last one of you. You’re the best fans in the world. Thank you for coming.”

The surprises kept coming when Williams, 45, Holmes, 46, and Jackson, 47, were joined by Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps to raise money for F Cancer.

The cast then performed Dawson’s Creek‘s iconic opening theme song — Paula Cole‘s “I Don’t Want to Wait” — with two of Van Der Beek’s daughters. (James and wife Kimberly Van Der Beek share daughters Olivia, 14, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, and Gwendolyn, 6, and sons Joshua, 12, and Jeremiah, 3.)

Dawson’s Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, centered around Joey Potter (Holmes), who was navigating school after the death of her mother. She subsequently ended up in a love triangle with Dawson Leery (Van Der Beek) and best friend Pacey (Jackson).

Monday’s celebration of the hit WB show came after Van Der Beek previously reflected on how the cast fell out of touch over the years.

“It’s just been so great to talk to them and catch up with, like, who they are now this many years out and to have that shared experience from back in the day,” he shared on Jana Kramer‘s “Whine Down” podcast in March. “It’s just so lovely every time I get to catch up with one of them.”

Van Der Beek revealed that the Dawson’s Creek cast hasn’t always remained in contact. “We all went our separate ways and just didn’t speak for years because we were just living our lives and doing our things,” he added. “And to just kind of reconnect and be like, ‘Oh, wow, I love who you’ve become.’”