- - James Van Der Beek Addresses Reaction to His Gaunt Appearance at “Dawson's Creek” Reunion: 'I'd Lost So Much Weight'

Rachel McRadyDecember 19, 2025 at 9:59 PM

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Courtesy Breanne Heldman; Today

James Van Der Beek during 'Dawson's Creek' reunion and on 'Today' show. -

James Van Der Beek appeared on the Friday, Dec. 19 episode of the Today show in an interview with Craig Melvin

The interview marked Van Der Beek's first since he missed the September Dawson's Creek cast reunion event due to illness

Van Der Beek was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023 and publicly shared the news in 2024

James Van Der Beek isn’t giving up amid his colorectal cancer diagnosis.

The 48-year-old Dawson’s Creek alum opened up about his health in a new interview with the Today show's Craig Melvin, which aired Friday, Dec. 19.

Melvin traveled to Van Der Beek’s Texas ranch to talk with the actor and father of six about his current condition and his outlook on his illness. During the conversation, Van Der Beek opened up about the overwhelming response to his gaunt appearance during September's Dawson's Creek reunion.

The actor was unable to attend the event after coming down with a stomach virus, but he appeared via video with a pre-recorded message to fans.

Melvin said when the video was played, "a lot of folks were worried."

"I’d lost so much weight because of the stomach virus, yeah," Van Der Beek explained. "No, it was not cancer related. Although with cancer everything’s like, ‘Why don’t we super size that stomach virus?’ "

Courtesy Breanne Heldman

James Van Der Beek video calls into the 'Dawson's Creek' reunion.

His wife, Kimberly, and their six children attended the event in his place.

"As crushed as I was not being able to go to that Dawson’s Creek reunion, my family got to go. And I was Zooming in on that night and they got a standing ovation just for taking their seats," Van Der Beek said, smiling. "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."

Craig Melvin and James Van Der Beek on the 'Today' show.

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Van Der Beek revealed to PEOPLE in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer after privately undergoing treatment following a 2023 diagnosis.

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Since that time, Van Der Beek has appeared in several social media videos to both spread awareness for early cancer detection and also to help raise money for his and others’ treatment.

“I’d always associated cancer with age and with unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles,” Van Der Beek told PEOPLE in November 2024. “But I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. I tried to eat healthy — or as far as I knew it at the time."

Of his journey thus far, Van Der Beek added, "This has been a crash course in the mastery of mind, body, and spirit. I thought, ‘This is either going to take me out of the body, or it’s going to teach me how to truly live in it.’”

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”