James Van Der Beek may have missed the “Dawson’s Creek” reunion on Monday, Sept. 22, but he had some special replacements filling in for him: his family.
Van Der Beek’s six children and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, made an appearance at a reading of the show’s pilot at Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City, joining the cast on stage to sing the show’s theme song, Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want To Wait.”
Video from the event, which was to benefit the nonprofit F Cancer and Van Der Beek, showed the actor’s children and “Dawson’s Creek” cast members like Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and more singing on stage.
While Van Der Beek couldn’t make it to the event, he did surprise attendees with a prerecorded video.
“I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together,” Van Der Beek said, according to People. “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,” he continued. “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.”
Van Der Beek, 48, ended his video with a thank you to the fans who attended: “It’s just absolutely humbling just how much you did for this night, and I just want to say thank you.”
The actor announced on Sunday, Sept. 21, that he would have to skip the event due to two stomach viruses.
“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 in the caption of an Instagram post.
“Despite every effort… I won’t get to be there,” he continued. “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 shared he had an understudy ready to perform in his place: Lin-Manuel Miranda.
“A ridiculously overqualified replacement who would have been #1 on my wishlist (had I ever dreamed he’d be available),” Van Der Beek said. “Someone my kids would definitely consider an upgrade over me… Plus, he already knows how to get to the theater. So that’s convenient.”
He added: “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.”
Van Der Beek announced in November he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and he told TODAY.com earlier this year living with the disease is a “full-time job.”
He shared he had been making lifestyle changes like stretching, practicing yoga and trying out the keto diet.
Van Der Beek said he was finding “the beauty of just taking things a little bit more slowly and prioritizing rest and really allowing that to be the job.”
He added: “I’m just on the journey. … It’s a process. It’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life.”