While talking with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, James Van Der Beek said his health journey has been “a lot” for him emotionally.
The 47-year-old actor became popular through his roles in the TV series Dawson’s Creek and the movie Varsity Blues.
Van Der Beek revealed last month that he’d been privately battling stage 3 colorectal cancer with the support of his family.
This week’s GMA appearance with Robin was the actor’s first televised interview since news of his diagnosis last month.
At one point during their discussion, Van Der Beek’s emotions overcame him as Robin brought up an important aspect of his cancer battle.
After the GMA anchor’s remarks, he said he felt like he was “gonna lose it” as he wiped away tears.
Van Der Beek tells GMA’s Robin Roberts: ‘I’m gonna lose it’
At the start of their interview, Robin Roberts mentioned that she and her co-anchors, George Stephanopolous and Michael Strahan, gave Van Der Beek a big hug.
She asked how the actor was doing “physically and emotionally,” with Van Der Beek indicating he was “feeling really good” physically, but emotionally “it’s a lot” and “really a ride.”
The actor admitted he was “in shock” when he received the diagnosis as he felt he was doing all the right things with being healthy. However, he realized his life would take a “different trajectory” when he learned he had colorectal cancer.
“It felt like a nightmare,” Van Der Beek admitted to Robin, although he said he held “optimism” about making important changes in his life.
“That’s how I was about 90 percent of the time. I would say about the other 10 percent of the time, I was a sobbing, terrifying mess,” he said.
He called his battle “an exercise in being present to all” the emotions he experiences throughout the journey and deciding how they can help him.
Robin brought up the outpouring of love and support that Van Der Beek has received amid his battle.
“You had your wife, Kim. She was there. You said that she has been your rock. How has she helped you?” Robin asked.
At that point, Van Der Beek got emotional before continuing to speak.
“This is where I’m gonna lose it,” he said, momentarily reflecting while visibly choked up.
“She’s been amazing. She’s really taught me what unconditional love is,” Van Der Beek said.
“I’m someone in the past who really tried to do everything for everybody and never asked for help myself and this has put me in a position of having to ask for help and having to receive help,” he told Robin.
Van Der Beek to appear in The Full Monty on Fox
He said his decision to go public with his health battle arrived after receiving a call from a tabloid that said they were going to run a story about his diagnosis.
However, Van Der Beek said he’d already thought about how he would publicly reveal it and decided to participate in The Real Full Monty on Fox to help raise awareness for prostate, testicular, and colorectal cancer testing and research.
The two-hour special is an adaptation of The Full Monty movie and airs on Fox on Monday, December 9. Along with Van Der Beek, it stars Anthony Anderson, Taye Diggs, Tyler Posey, Chris Jones, and Dancing With the Stars judge Bruno Tonioli.
Van Der Beek and his wife have six children
From 2003 to 2010, Van Der Beek was married to actress Heather McComb. In 2009, Van Der Beek met business consultant Kimberly Brook in Israel. According to People, they married in Tel Aviv in 2010.
The couple now has six children together. Their four daughters are Olivia, 14, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, and Gwendolyn, 6. Their two sons are Joshua, 12, and Jeremiah, 2.
For Thanksgiving, Van Der Beek shared a photo on his official Instagram showing his beautiful family. In the caption, he expressed gratitude for the support of fans, followers, and his family during a “tough year.”
“I’m grateful to each and every one of you who has reached out and sent good vibes and prayers. It all lands and makes a difference,” the actor wrote in his IG caption.
“I’m more grateful than ever to my super human wife who has shown up on levels I never knew possible. Who was shown me what unconditional love is and the magic that comes from that. I am in awe of you, @vanderkimberly,” Van Der Beek’s caption said.
“And of course, I’m beyond thankful the little blond arm of hearts who keep me present, active, and inspired just by being you. I love you guys beyond,” he wrote.
Van Der Beek said during his GMA interview that each of his children deals with their emotions differently amid his cancer battle. He indicated some of his kids are more “outward” in expressing their fears, while his other kids “manifest” in other ways.
However, he called it “an opportunity for connection” and a way to have a “deeper” relationship while exploring some of the “really scary” emotions his children might have during his battle.