James Van Der Beek addressed concern over his recent weight loss in a new “Today” show interview.
The actor insisted to Craig Melvin on Friday that his slimmed-down virtual appearance at September’s “Dawson’s Creek” reunion, which went viral, was “not cancer-related.”
The “Varsity Blues” star, 48, blamed his gaunt look on a stomach virus.
“I had lost so much weight because of the stomach virus, yeah,” Van Der Beek said when the journalist pointed out fans had been “worried.”
However, the “Pose” alum clarified, “Although with cancer, everything is like, ‘Why don’t we super size that stomach virus?’”
Van Der Beek went public with his colorectal cancer diagnosis on in November 2024, nearly one year after receiving the news himself.
“There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” he said at the time.
While the “Pose” alum did not give a detailed update on his prognosis during Friday’s interview, he called himself “a little bit better every month.”
He noted, “It’s required more of me, more patience, more discipline, more strength than I knew I had. I knew I was strong, but I didn’t know I was this strong.”
Last month, James’ wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, wrote in an Instagram comment that her partner is “bouncing back.”
The 43-year-old quipped that her husband is a “wizard.”
The couple have been married since 2010 and share six children — Olivia, 15, Joshua, 13, Annabel, 11, Emilia, 9, Gwendolyn, 7, and Jeremiah, 4.
Kimberly and the little ones attended the “Dawson’s Creek” reunion in his place earlier this year — and James teared up reflecting on the standing ovation they received from fans “just for taking their seats.”
“As crushed as I was to not be able to go … all the love that would have been directed at me was directed at my family,” James said Friday.
“That was one of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever witnessed,” he continued, crediting Kimberly with saving his life and calling their kids “resilient.”
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