James Van Der Beek Replaced by Lin-Manuel Miranda for Reunion Event

New York City, NY — James Van Der Beek, best known for his role as Dawson Leery on ‘Dawson's Creek‘, announced he will miss the show’s class reunion due to illness.

Van Der Beek expressed his disappointment in a social media post. ‘This is the evening I’d been looking forward to MOST since my angel Michelle Williams said she was putting it together, way back in January… 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,’ he wrote.

The reunion will feature a reading of the show’s pilot at New York City’s Richard Rodgers Theatre on Monday. Co-stars Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, and Joshua Jackson are all expected to attend, with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit F Cancer.

Despite his illness, Van Der Beek revealed he has found a replacement for his role. ‘An understudy. A ridiculously overqualified replacement who would have been on my wishlist (had I ever dreamed he’d be available),’ he said. That understudy is Broadway star Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Van Der Beek went on to thank Miranda for stepping in. ‘Someone my kids would definitely consider an upgrade over me… Plus, he already knows how to get to the theater. So that’s convenient,’ he joked. He concluded with a heartfelt message for fans, stating, ‘Everyone please enjoy all the love in that room. Shine some on my family. I will be beaming and receiving from afar in a bed in Austin.’