The cast of Dawson's Creek held a reunion on Broadway, with James Van Der Beek absent due to his ongoing battle with cancer.&nbsp;

In 1998, a 21-year-old James Van Der Beek stepped into Hollywood and quickly became a heartthrob for a generation of teens through his breakout role as Dawson Leery on the hit TV series Dawson&rsquo;s Creek. His performance not only cemented him as a pop culture icon of the late &rsquo;90s but also led to other notable roles, including the 1999 film Varsity Blues.
In late 2024, Van Der Beek revealed he had been diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer. After noticing concerning changes in late 2023, he sought medical attention and underwent a colonoscopy that confirmed the diagnosis. Sharing the news on social media in November 2024, he used his platform to raise awareness about the disease.
On Monday, September 22, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway, the Dawson&rsquo;s Creek cast reunited&mdash;without Van Der Beek&mdash;for a special script read of the pilot episode. Since he is dealing with his illness, he instead filmed an emotional video to be shared at the reunion. At the end of the evening, as Paula Cole&rsquo;s iconic theme song &ldquo;I Don&rsquo;t Wanna Wait&rdquo; began to play. In a moving moment, two of Van Der Beek&rsquo;s children took the stage to finish the song&rsquo;s final verses, soon joined by his wife, Kimberly, and their other children, creating a heartfelt tribute in his absence.
L'OFFICIEL rounds up young photos of James Van Der Beek.&nbsp;

Getty Images.

Young Photos of James Van Der Beek 

The Art Newspaper US Edition & L’Officiel USA subscription

L'OFFICIEL USA December/January 2026  - Michelle Yeoh Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA November 2025 - Florence Welch Cover 

L'OFFICIEL HOMMES USA October 2025 - Jeremy Strong

L'OFFICIEL HOMMES USA October 2025 - Colman Domingo Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA September 2025 - Jessica Chastain Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA July/August  2025 - Jackson Wang Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA June 2025 - Orlando Bloom Cover

L'OFFICIEL USA May 2025 - Isabela Merced Cover

Young Photos of James Van Der Beek

Tags

Recommended posts for you

Beauty

Martha Stewart Takes On Anti-Aging Skincare With Elm Biosciences

Shopping

The Ultimate Holiday Gift Edit for the Style-Obsessed

Fashion

L'OFFICIEL's December/January 2026 Issue: Letter From the Editor

Film & TV

Michelle Yeoh Harnesses Her Power in ‘Wicked: For Good’

Film & TV

7 Things to Know About Michelle Yeoh

Film & TV

6 Michelle Yeoh Movies to Watch Before 'Wicked: For Good'

Fashion

Michelle Yeoh's Best Style Moments

Music

Everything to Know About Olivia Dean’s 2026 Tour