James Van Der Beek Says His ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Reunion Absence Was ‘Not Cancer-Related’ | Video

James Van Der Beek has revealed that his absence at the recent “Dawson’s Creek” reunion on Broadway had nothing to do with his cancer diagnosis.

“No, it was not cancer-related,” Van Der Beek explained to Craig Melvin during a sit-down with “Today” on Friday. “Although, with cancer, everything’s like, ‘Why don’t we supersize that stomach virus.’”

He went on to share that a stomach bug forced him to miss the reunion back in September. Lin-Manuel Miranda stood in as his character Dawson Leery.

While he couldn’t make it in-person, he did send his cast, crew and fans a video message saying he wished he could be there. Melvin also mentioned that the clip prompted viewers to question his well-being due to his noticeable weight loss.

Earlier in the conversation, Van Der Beek opened up about having Stage 3 colorectal cancer, which he was diagnosed with in August 2023 and revealed publicly in November 2024. He said when he learned he had cancer he felt it was the “best thing” that could ever happen to him.

“I had this little voice in my head that said, ‘You’re going to make changes in your life that you would never ever if you didn’t have this extreme of a diagnosis. And it’s going to add healthy, happy years to your life.’”

Some of those changes included slowing down during his daily activities and being more conscious about what he eats.

“Really, I say the biggest change would be this journey of self-love,” Van Der Beek said, adding that his faith got even stronger during his cancer journey. “What I realized was, is I’m still worthy of love … My own love, God’s love.”

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