James Van Der Beek Cries as He Thanks “Dawson's Creek” Fans for Giving His Family Standing Ovation at Reunion: 'I Realized I Was Worthy of Love'
- - James Van Der Beek Cries as He Thanks “Dawson's Creek” Fans for Giving His Family Standing Ovation at Reunion: 'I Realized I Was Worthy of Love'
Angela Andaloro, Genevieve UzamereDecember 19, 2025 at 7:54 AM
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Craig Melvin/instagram
Craig Melvin and James Van Der Beek -
James Van Der Beek appeared on the Dec. 19 edition of Today, in conversation with Craig Melvin
The actor, 48, appeared upbeat in the interview, which was pre-taped at his Texas family ranch
During the conversation, Van Der Beek thanked his Dawson's Creek family for their support since his cancer diagnosis
James Van Der Beek is grateful for the support he's received since his diagnosis with stage 3 colon cancer.
The actor, 48, sat down with Craig Melvin on the Dec. 19 edition of the Today show, where he shared his disappointment over not being able to attend the Dawson's Creek reunion, which had been organized as a benefit in support of his cancer treatment. Sidelined with a stomach bug, he sent his family to attend 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. And all that love that would have otherwise been directed at me, was directed at my family," he said, welling up with tears. "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."
Van Der Beek shared how living with cancer has opened his eyes to the love that fans still have for him today. "What I realized was is I’m still worthy of love — my own love, God’s love," he said, adding that it means the world to him when fans stop to tell him, "I'm praying for you."
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The pre-taped interview, which took place at the actor's Texas family home, is a rare appearance since he revealed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
The Varsity Blues actor, who shares six kids — Olivia, Joshua, Annabel, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah — with his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek, had planned to appear on the Today show earlier this month, but had to postpone due to a case of pink eye.
In a social media post shared on Instagram Wednesday, Dec. 17, Today show co-host Craig Melvin posed alongside the actor for a photo on the set of their interview.
“Spent the day in TX on James Van Der Beek’s ranch,” the 46-year-old NBC broadcaster captioned his three-photo carousel.
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For their first picture, they stood next to each other, both smiling indoors, facing the camera.
“Overcast and dreary outside but James is quite the ray of positivity these days. It was refreshing and inspiring,” Melvin added in the caption before sharing a glimpse of his and Van Der Beek's conversation. “We talked about where he is on his journey, the importance of cancer screenings, and how he’s finding joy in family and faith.”
Van Der Beek last shared an update on his health with Today in July, saying, "I’m feeling great. It’s been a journey. There are just so many ups and downs and so many unknowns. Cancer is — I call it a full-time job ... It’s a process. It’ll probably be a process for the rest of my life.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
