Lin-Manuel Miranda replaces James Van Der Beek in ‘Dawson’s Creek' reunion due to illness

Illness forced "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek out of a reunion and cancer benefit, with “ridiculously overqualified” understudy Lin-Manuel Miranda now cast to take his spot.

Illness forced "Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek to bow out of Monday night's cast reunion and cancer benefit, with “ridiculously overqualified” understudy Lin-Manuel Miranda now cast to take his spot.

Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams were set to do a table read of the "Dawson's" 1998 pilot at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City.

The event benefits a nonprofit that encourages early testing for cancer and support for patients. Van Der Beek was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2023.

From left, Michelle Williams, James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson starring in "Dawson's Creek" in 1997.Hulton Archive / Getty Images file“So you can imagine how gutted I was when two stomach viruses conspired to knock me out of commission and keep me grounded at the worst possible moment,” the actor told his 1.6 million Instagram followers on Sunday.

“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.”