James Van Der Beek Reveals Dramatic Weight Loss at ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Reunion Interview

James Van Der Beek opened up in a heartfelt interview on “Today” about missing the recent “Dawson’s Creek” reunion and the shocking weight loss fans noticed during the event.

The actor, who is currently dealing with a stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis, appeared emotional as he recalled the standing ovation his family received during the reunion in September. Van Der Beek was unable to attend in person after being hit with a stomach virus, but he joined via Zoom and watched fans cheer for his family.

“As crushed as I was not being able to go to that ‘Dawson’s Creek’ reunion, my family got to go,” Van Der Beek said.

“And I was Zooming in on that night and they got a standing ovation just for taking their seats. And all that love that would have otherwise been directed at me, was directed at my family. It was just one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever gotten to witness. I’m just so grateful to the fans for doing that.”

The actor reassured viewers that his appearance on Zoom, where he looked noticeably thinner, was due to the stomach bug and not his cancer treatment. “I’d lost so much weight because of the stomach virus, yeah,” he explained.

“No, it was not cancer related. Although with cancer everything’s like, ‘Why don’t we super-size that stomach virus?’” He also added that he feels much better than he did a few months ago.

The “Dawson’s Creek” reunion brought the original cast together for the first time since the series ended in 2003.

The event featured a table read of the show’s 1998 pilot and raised funds for F Cancer as well as Van Der Beek’s treatment. Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp and others participated, while Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped in for Van Der Beek during the reading.

Van Der Beek’s openness about his health and the touching moment for his family resonated with fans, showing both his gratitude and vulnerability.

It’s inspiring to see how Van Der Beek handled missing such a big reunion and the way fans embraced his family in his absence. What do you think about this emotional reunion moment? Share your thoughts in the comments.