James Van Der Beek Drops Out of ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Reunion

James Van Der Beek is “gutted” to have to drop out of Monday’s Dawson’s Creek “Class Reunion” due to illness.

The 48-year-old actor, who starred as the titular Dawson Leery in the beloved WB drama for six seasons, announced Sunday that he would not be able to reunite with his fellow cast members for a live reading of the pilot script.

“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…” Van Der Beek wrote on Instagram. “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.”

The actor, who is fighting stage 3 colorectal cancer, continued, “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 “Class Reunion” event, which is set to benefit F Cancer and Van Der Beek’s own cancer treatment, will still go on without the show’s star. The Varsity Blues actor announced that Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda would step in to read the part of Dawson in his place.

“But I DO have an understudy. A ridiculously overqualified replacement 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… Plus, he already knows how to get to the theater. So that’s convenient,” Van Der Beek wrote. “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.”

The actor continued, “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,” concluding, “And thank you @lin_manuel . You were a hero to my kids before… now you’re a demigod.”

Van Der Beek’s wife, Kimberly, revealed in a comment on her husband’s post that she and the couple’s children would still be in attendance at the reunion event, saying it “was important to him we come!!”

The Dawson’s Creek “Class Reunion” event will reunite the show’s stars Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps for the first time since 2003 as the cast gathers at New York City’s Richard Rodgers Theatre for a one-night-only live reading.