When Kimberly Van Der Beek and her six children arrived at the “Dawson’s Creek” reunion event in New York City, the audience immediately rose to its feet, cheering as the family entered the Richard Rodgers Theatre to honor James Van Der Beek. Fans can see exclusively in this EntertainmentNow video from the event here.
Van Der Beek, who rose to fame as the title character on ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ died on February 11 after battling colorectal cancer. He was 48.
The September 22 reunion became a moving tribute to the late actor, with fans and cast members alike celebrating his legacy and showing support for his family.
James Van Der Beek Forced to Miss the ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Reunion
The cast of the beloved WB teen drama reunited for a live reading of the pilot episode to benefit F Cancer and Van Der Beek, who had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023.
Cast members in attendance included Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps.
The “Dancing With the Stars” alum had planned to attend but announced the day before that illness would prevent him from traveling.
“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,” he 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.”
He added, “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.” He also thanked Lin-Manuel Miranda for stepping in, writing, “Thank you @lin_manuel. You were a hero to my kids before… now you’re a demigod.”
Van Der Beek’s Children Take the Stage in His Honor
Kimberly attended the reunion with the couple’s children: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia, and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah.
The family greeted fans outside the theater, with Kimberly filming messages of support for her husband.
During the event, the Van Der Beek family joined the cast on stage for a sing-along of the show’s theme song, “I Don’t Want to Wait” by Paula Cole.
In one of the evening’s most emotional moments, Olivia began singing alone before Emilia joined her. The audience responded with thunderous applause, giving the family a standing ovation. Kimberly and the other children later stepped onto the stage to share the moment.
Kimberly reflected on the night on Instagram Stories, writing that the evening “made so many of the kids’ dreams come true.” She added, “The night was so special to the whole family and more importantly, just feeling my husband fill the entire theater and the love for him.”
