Busy Phillips recently shared her reflections on the “incredibly meaningful” reunion of her Dawson’s Creek co-stars, held to honor James Van Der Beek.
“It took me an unfortunately long time to share about our reunion show at the Richard Rogers Theater last week,” Phillips, 46, conveyed through an Instagram post on September 28. “The truth is, it was such an exceedingly special occasion that I needed the entire week to process the two days filled with rehearsals, reconnections, and quality time with Kimberly [Van Der Beek] and her kids.”
She expressed profound gratitude towards everyone who promptly agreed to participate, with a heartfelt acknowledgment of her friend Rene, who hosted the evening. Phillips also praised Lin-Manuel Miranda for stepping in as a “last-minute Dawson Leery” and Norm Lewis for delivering an emotionally charged performance of “Music of the Night”—a song that attendees had hoped Van Der Beek would sing. Additionally, she extended thanks to Kevin Williamson, Greg Berlanti, Jason Moore, Jeffery Sellers, Tommy Kail, Suzanne Gomez, and Betel Daniel for their dedicated efforts in making the event possible.
In her gratitude, she also acknowledged the staff at the Richard Rogers Theatre and the current cast of the Broadway hit Hamilton, who graciously permitted the reunion to take place in their dressing rooms that night.
“I am immensely thankful to the fans who attended and contributed generously to support F Cancer and James,” she added. “A special shoutout to James and Kimberly, and their children – they’ve shown us what true love and strength look like amidst adversity.” The event, held on September 22, also featured appearances by Phillips’ former co-stars Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, and Michelle Williams, who revisited their iconic roles as Joey Potter, Pacey Witter, and Jen Lindley, respectively.
Unfortunately, Van Der Beek, 48, who portrayed Dawson, was unable to attend due to an illness. Earlier, in August 2023, he revealed a diagnosis of stage 3 colon cancer. This reunion was organized to raise funds for cancer research and treatment in his honor.
On the eve of the reunion, Van Der Beek shared his disappointment through a heartfelt video. “I had been so looking forward to this evening since my wonderful co-star Michelle Williams revealed her plans to arrange it back in January… so you can imagine the devastation when a couple of stomach viruses conspired to keep me from attending,” he stated, explaining his inability to be physically present. Despite the setback, Van Der Beek still managed to send a video message, connecting with those gathered.
In his heartfelt message, he expressed, “I can’t believe I’m not there. I long to hug my incredible castmates, to stand on that stage thanking everyone in the theater tonight—from the cast and crew to every single person who donated their time and efforts. And to all of you in the audience—you are the best fans in the world. Thank you for being here.” Through this poignant reunion, the bonds of friendship and support amidst difficult times were deeply emphasized.
In an amusing twist, Phillips shared a light-hearted postscript regarding a cheeky moment with Jackson. After they shared an enthusiastic kiss during their on-stage performance, she recalled saying, “I mean, we COULD really kiss,” to which Jackson replied, “I mean… I think we gotta give the people what they want.”
