After a video of James Van Der Beek from the Dawson’s Creek reunion caused concern, the actor addressed his significant weight loss.
Van Der Beek, 48, appeared on the Friday, December 19, episode of the Today show to discuss his absence from the Dawson’s Creek reunion earlier this year. He specifically clarified the video message he sent in, saying, “I’d lost so much weight because of the stomach virus.”
Van Der Beek explained that his appearance change was “not cancer-related.”
“Although with cancer, everything’s like, ‘Why don’t we supersize that stomach virus?’” he added.
The September live reading of the Dawson’s Creek pilot at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City featured appearances from Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson. They kicked off the event with a message for the crowd from Van Der Beek, who is battling stage III colorectal cancer.
“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.”
‘Dawson’s Creek’ cast. Columbia/TriStar International Television/Getty Images
Van Der Beek elaborated in a social media message where he confirmed Lin-Manuel Miranda would be taking over the role of Dawson.
“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 at the time. “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.”
Ever since Dawson’s Creek premiered in 1998, the show became a favorite among fans and remains one of the most popular teen dramas to ever hit the small screen. The series followed the life of Joey Potter (Katie Holmes), a tomboy who is just trying to make it through high school following the death of […]
He continued: “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. 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.”
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.)
“As crushed as I was to not be able to go to that Dawson’s Creek reunion, my family got to go,” Van Der Beek added on Friday. “And they got a standing ovation just for taking their seats. And all that love that would’ve otherwise been directed at me, was directed at my family. It was one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever gotten to witness. I’m just so grateful to the fans for doing that.”
