After a video of James Van Der Beek from the Dawson’s Creek reunion caused concern, the actor addressed his significant weight reduction.
Van Der Beek, 48, appeared on the Friday, December 19, episode of the Today show to debate his absence from the Dawson’s Creek reunion earlier this yr. He specifically clarified the video message he sent in, saying, “I’d lost a lot weight due to the stomach virus.”
Van Der Beek explained that his appearance change was “not cancer-related.”
“Although with cancer, the whole lot’s like, ‘Why don’t we supersize that stomach virus?’” he added.
The September live reading of the Dawson’s Creek pilot on the Richard Rodgers Theatre in Latest York City featured appearances from Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson. They kicked off the event with a message for the gang from Van Der Beek, who’s battling stage III colorectal cancer.
“I can’t imagine I’m not there,” he said in a prerecorded message played on stage. “I can’t imagine I don’t get to hug my castmates, my beautiful solid, in person, and I just desired to stand on that stage and thank each person on this theater for being here tonight — from the solid to the crew to everybody who donated their time and has been so generous. And particularly each last considered one of you. You’re one of the best fans on the earth. Thanks for coming.”
‘Dawson’s Creek’ solid. Columbia/TriStar International Television/Getty Images
Van Der Beek elaborated in a social media message where he confirmed Lin-Manuel Miranda could be taking up the role of Dawson.
“That 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 possibly can imagine how gutted I used to be when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded on the worst possible moment,” he wrote via Instagram on the time. “Despite every effort … I won’t get to be there. I won’t get to face on that stage and thank every soul within the theater for showing up for me, and against cancer, after I needed it most.”
Ever since Dawson’s Creek premiered in 1998, the show became a favourite amongst fans and stays probably the most popular teen dramas to ever hit the small screen. The series followed the lifetime of Joey Potter (Katie Holmes), a tomboy who’s just attempting to make it through highschool following the death of […]
He continued: “But I DO have an understudy. A ridiculously overqualified substitute 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 of the love in that room. Shine some on my family. I will probably 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 lift money for F Cancer. The solid then performed Dawson’s Creek‘s iconic opening theme song — Paula Cole‘s “I Don’t Wish 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 used to be to not find a way to go to that Dawson’s Creek reunion, my family got to go,” Van Der Beek added on Friday. “They usually got a standing ovation only for taking their seats. And all that love that may’ve otherwise been directed at me, was directed at my family. It was probably the most beautiful moments I’ve ever gotten to witness. I’m just so grateful to the fans for doing that.”