Dawson’s Creek costars Busy Philipps, Michelle Williams and Katie Holmes are in the process of organizing a reunion in support of James Van Der Beek.
“We’re really trying to figure something out, but there are a couple of people who have some work things that cannot be moved,” Philipps, 45, recently told Us Weekly exclusively while promoting her partnership with California Pizza Kitchen. “It’s like playing chess, trying to get everybody’s schedules to align. I’m very hopeful that at some point we will.”
She added, “Everybody is, and I’m so glad to see and hear from James — and I know he posted on Instagram that he’s feeling well — and we just have all been really sending him every ounce of good wishes and prayers and hoping for the best.”
Van Der Beek, 48, confirmed in November 2024 that he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer the year before. After undergoing undisclosed forms of treatment, the Varsity Blues star told Extra earlier in March that he “can see the finish line” in his health battle.
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In a follow-up Instagram upload this month celebrating his birthday, Van Der Beek further noted that this was “the hardest year of [his] life.”
“When I was younger, I used to define myself as an actor, which was never really all that fulfilling,” he said in a March 8 video. “Then I became a husband, and that was much better — and then I became a father and that was the ultimate. I could define myself as a loving, capable, supportive husband/ father/provider/steward of the land we get to live on.”
He continued, “And then this year, I had to look my own mortality in the eye. I had to come to nose-to-nose with death, and all of those definitions that I cared so deeply were stripped from me. I was away for treatment, so I could no longer be a husband who was helpful to my wife [and] I could no longer be a husband who could be there for my kids.”
As Van Der Beek meditated on how to rediscover his identity, he realized that he is “worthy of God’s love simply because [he] exists,” he said.
“That revelation was due, in no small part, to all the prayers and all the love that had been directed to me,” James concluded. “Have a blessed day.”
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Van Der Beek’s circle of support — in addition to fans and the Dawson’s crew — also extends to his family. James and his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, share six children.
“He’s got an incredible family and wife and all of his children,” Philipps added to Us.
While Philipps is still sorting out how to proceed with a Dawson’s reunion in James’ honor, she’s staying busy with additional work commitments that include helping CPK celebrate its 40th anniversary.
“Well, listen, I think your 40s are incredible,” Philipps, who waitressed at the pizza chain in high school, told Us. “I think that we’ve got to all embrace it and get over the idea that it’s anything to feel shame about or that you would want to try to hide your age because, at this point honey, you’ve lasted 40 years. That is something to celebrate, and the fact that after all these years, CPK is still killing it, still doing the pizzas [and its] original barbecue chicken pizza still is so delicious.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
