James Van Der Beek Shocks Fans With Frail Appearance During Surprise Cameo at 'Dawson’s Creek' Reunion After Dropping Out Due to 'Illness' Amid Cancer Battle

Cancer-stricken James Van Der Beek wasn't able to attend the long-anticipated Dawson's Creek reunion in New York City, but he appeared via a pre-taped segment that has fans terribly worried, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The 48-year-old actor looked gaunt and frail while sending a message to fans.

He announced the day prior he was unable to attend the Monday, September 22, event at the last minute, telling followers he was "gutted" after contracting several stomach viruses.

Van Der Beek was shown from the shoulders up in a close-up, wearing a newsboy cap and looking pale and thin.

The star revealed he had been diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer in August 2023, and the money raised from the Dawson's Creek reunion went to the "F Cancer" charity.

His co-star, Michelle Williams, organized the event, at which the prominent cast members gathered for a one-night-only reading of the show's pilot script.

“I have been looking forward to this night for months and months ever since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together. I can’t believe I’m not there. I can’t believe I don’t get to see my castmates, my beautiful cast in person,” Van Der Beek said in his message while thanking the cast, crew, and the "best fans in the world."

The coming-of-age drama aired on The WB from 2003 through 2008.

He told the audience at the Richard Rodgers Theatre how the lead character of the long-running Broadway hit The Phantom of the Opera "was very, very central to who I believed Dawson to be," referring to his character of Dawson Leery. He explained how 'both of them were faced with the reality that the woman they loved truly loved somebody else, and said, 'Go to him. Go to him now before I change my mind.'"

After the audience sighed with sadness, the actor then drew laughs by referring to how one of those instances resulted in Dawson's iconic "crying face" meme, when Katie Holmes' Joey Potter chose Joshua Jackson's Pacey Witter over him in Season 3.

Van Der Beek then had a treat for the audience, introducing Broadway legend Norm Lewis, who performed Phantom's Music of the Night.

As video from the event circulated on Instagram, fans became alarmed by Van Der Beek's appearance.

"He looks very frail - poor man," one person wrote, while a second concerned user shared, "Oh man, I loved Dawson’s Creek - this is so sad! I just want to give him a hug, poor guy."

"So heartbreaking to see. Really hope he beats this and comes back stronger than ever," a third person wished, while a fourth observed, "Oh my goodness.... I had no idea it had progressed that much, and he was that sick."

A fifth added, "It’s so hard to see him this way. I hope he pulls through."

One day ahead of the reunion, Van Der Beek shared the heartbreaking announcement that he was too ill to attend, revealing he had "two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment."

"Despite every effort… I won’t get to be there. I won’t get to stand on that stage and thank every soul in the theater for showing up for me, and against cancer, when I needed it most. But I DO have an understudy" he wrote letting fans know that Broadway sensation Lin-Manuel Miranda would be reading his character's part.

Van Der Beek shared in March in a 48th birthday post that "It has been the hardest year of my life ... This year, I had to look my own mortality in the eye. I came nose to nose with death."