Busy Philipps got emotional as she spoke about James Van Der Beek’s absence at the “Dawson’s Creek” reunion.
After the reunion, Philipps, 46, teared up on Instagram, explaining to her followers that it was “heartbreaking for a million different reasons” for her former co-star to miss the event.
“But I was so glad that Kimberly [Van Der Beek] and all the kids [were there],” the “Freaks and Geeks” alum, said of James’ wife and their six children (Olivia, 14, Joshua, 12, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, Gwendolyn, 6, and Jeremiah, 3).
Van Der Beek’s children sang the show’s theme song, leaving cast members and fans in tears.
“It was just really beautiful. And James is getting lots of videos and Facetimes and texts and things, and we just love him so much,” Philipps continued.
The cast of the beloved teen drama series, including Philipps (Audrey Liddell), Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson (Pacey Witter) and Michelle Williams (Jen Lindley), reunited at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City for a live table reading of the show’s 1998 pilot episode on Monday.
Also in attendance were Meredith Monroe (Andie McPhee), Mary Beth Peil (Evelyn ‘Grams’ Ryan), John Wesley Shipp (Mitch Leery), Mary-Margaret Humes (Gale Leery), Nina Repeta (Bessie Potter) and Kerr Smith (Jack McPhee).
“Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003 on the WB, dives into a friendship with two childhood best friends, Dawson Leery (Van Der Beek) and Joey Potter (Holmes), navigating through different stages of adolescence together and their group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Mass.
During the reunion, Philipps and Jackson re-created a controversial scene from the show that ended with a steamy kiss.
Philipps, who originally played Joey’s college roommate and Pacey’s girlfriend, stepped into the role of Pacey’s scandalous first lover: his high school English teacher, Tamara Jacobs.
Van Der Beek, 48, could not attend the reunion due to a stomach illness in the wake of his ongoing battle with colorectal cancer. He shared a video on social media to address his absence.
“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. “I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to see my castmates, 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.”
Before the event, Van Der Beek announced he wouldn’t be able to make the trip.
“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 post read. “So 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.”
“Despite every effort … I won’t get to be there,” Van Der Beek 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.”
Williams, who spearheaded the anticipated reunion alongside Jason Moore, arranged for Broadway and Disney star Lin-Manuel Miranda to read for Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery.
“The role of ‘Dawson’, usually played by James Van Der Beek … Will be played by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Can’t believe I just got to type that,” Van Der Beek wrote on social media. “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 expressed his thanks and said it was “absolutely humbling” how much effort went into the event, which benefited F Cancer and Van Der Beek, who has been battling Stage 3 colorectal cancer since last year.
He first shared his diagnosis in November 2024, saying that he has “been privately dealing with this diagnosis and has been taking steps to resolve it” with his family’s support.
“I have colorectal cancer. There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” he told People.
In July, Van Der Beek told Today that living with cancer feels like a “full-time job” and that “it’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life.”
