
James Van Der Beek became a household name in the late '90s playing Dawson Leery, the passionate aspiring filmmaker at the centre of the hit teen drama Dawson's Creek.
For six seasons, audiences watched Dawson navigate the complexities of adolescence alongside his best friends Joey, Pacey, and Jen in the picturesque fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts.
More than two decades later, the 48-year-old actor was set to reunite with his co-stars for what promised to be an emotional gathering — but life had other plans.
Van Der Beek was forced to miss the highly anticipated 2025 Dawson's Creek reunion due to illness.
However, the actor refused to sit out entirely, surprising fans with a sweet video appearance.
Watch: A snippet of James Van Der Beek's surprise video message. Post continues after video.
Monday's one-time-only charity event brought together 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 a live reading of the show's pilot episode at Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City.