James Van Der Beek delighted Dawson's Creek fans when he made a surprise appearance at the reunion with his castmates at the Richard Rogers Theatre in New York City on September 22. The 48-year-old was left "gutted" after he was forced to pull out of the charity event, benefitting F Cancer and James, who was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer last year, on Sunday after developing two different stomach viruses. However, while he may not have been well enough to attend the event in person, he didn't miss out completely as he made a virtual appearance.
James appeared via a pre-recorded video that was projected onstage, according to People, and thanked fans for attending the event, which saw the cast of the beloved WB series, including Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe, Busy Philipps Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, and Nina Repeta, reunite for the first time since the 2003 finale for a live reading of the show's pilot episode.
"I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together," James began. "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 I just want to stand on that stage and thank every single person in the theater for being here tonight.
"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." He continued: "Thank you for coming. It's just absolutely humbling just how much you did for this night, and I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every single person here."
"And, obviously, on Dawson's Creek, I had an understudy, but this is a problem... and, we figured trying to find somebody who had never understudied in this theater before," James added before introducing Lin-Manuel Miranda as his understudy, whom he joked his kids would consider an "upgrade."
The father of six shared an Instagram post on Sunday, saying that two stomach viruses had knocked him out of commission, keeping him grounded at "the worst moment possible." He wrote: "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," the actor shared.
"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." The actor added that he was pleased to have Lin-Manuel Miranda as an understudy, who he described in his post as a "ridiculously overqualified replacement" who would have been number one on his wishlist, "had I ever dreamed he'd be available."