James Van Der Beek surprises crowd with video message at 'Dawson's Creek' reunion
The "Dawson's Creek" class reunion went on without its star classmate on Monday night, though he did make a brief video appearance.
Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in the role of Dawson Leery after James Van Der Beek announced he would miss the hit show's one-night-only stage reunion due to an illness.
Van Der Beek introduced Miranda with a video introduction at the event, which was put on in support of F Cancer and Van Der Beek.
"Reading the role of Dawson, a young up-and-comer. Say hello to Lin-Manuel Miranda," Van Der Beek said in the video.
At the conclusion of the event, Van Der Beek's wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their children joined the cast onstage to sing the show's hit theme song.
Van Der Beek, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023, wrote in a social media post Sunday that he would miss the charity event due to two stomach viruses.
In the post, the actor shared his disappointment over missing the reunion, a charity fundraising event to support F Cancer and Van Der Beek, which is scheduled for Sept. 22.
"This is the evening I'd been looking forward to MOST since my angel [and former 'Dawson's Creek' co-star] Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January…" he wrote. "So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission."
Van Der Beek expressed regret that he would not "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 followed up the disappointing news of his absence with the exciting update that a Broadway legend -- songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, and "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda -- would instead take his spot in the role of Dawson.
"But I DO have an understudy," he wrote. " 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… Plus, he already knows how to get to the theater. So that's convenient."
The Richard Rodgers Theatre is notably the same venue where "Hamilton" is staged.
Van Der Beek signed off the note by asking the crowd to "enjoy all the love in that room" Monday night, and to "shine some on my family."
He added, "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 😇."
ABC News has reached out to a representative for Van Der Beek for comment.
Along with Miranda, Monday's "Dawson's Creek" charity show featured former stars Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps.
The show included a live reading of the "Dawson's Creek" pilot episode, which first aired in 1998.
Van Der Beek first shared his cancer diagnosis publicly in November last year, writing on Instagram at the time that he was "getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before."
In December, Van Der Beek spoke to "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts in his first live television interview since announcing his diagnosis.
"Physically, I'm great. I'm feeling really good emotionally. You know, it's a lot," he said at the time. "It's really a ride."
