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‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star Pulls Out of Reunion Over Illness: ‘Gutted’

James Van Der Beek received a cancer diagnosis two years ago.

Dawson’s Creek star ​​James Van Der Beek has dropped out of a cast reunion and reading of its pilot script, suffering from a pair of “stomach viruses.” He was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in August 2023 and said he had been particularly “looking forward” to the New York event raising funds for F Cancer. In his place will be Hamilton icon Lin-Manuel Miranda, who Van Der Beek heaped praise on in a post on Instagram announcing his absence and celebrating the substitute. “This is the evening I’d been looking forward to MOST” he said. “So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission.” The event, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Monday, is due to host various members of the original cast, including stars Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, and Joshua Jackson, per The Hollywood Reporter. Revealing Miranda would be taking his place, Van Der Beek continued, “But I DO have an understudy… A ridiculously overqualified replacement who would have been #1 on my wishlist… Someone my kids would definitely consider an upgrade over me… Plus, he already knows how to get to the theater. So that’s convenient.”