Joshua Jackson reunited with Mary-Margaret Humes at the Barbara Berlanti Heroes Gala benefiting F Cancer on Oct. 3 at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica.
Jackson played Pacey Witter throughout Dawson’s Creek, while Humes spent all six seasons as Gail Leery, the mother of James Van Der Beek’s Dawson. The former co-stars smiled together on the red carpet more than two decades after the series ended.
Just Jared photographed several other people connected to the series at the event, including creator Kevin Williamson, executive producer Greg Berlanti and Julie Plec.
The F Cancer fundraiser also carried a personal connection for Humes, who publicly revealed her own cancer history last year while discussing her friendship with Van Der Beek.
Several ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Veterans Gathered at the Gala
Joshua Jackson reunited with his “Dawson’s Creek” co-star Mary-Margaret Humes, creator Kevin Williamson, and executive producer Greg Berlanti at the Heroes Gala on Saturday evening
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— JustJared.com (@JustJared) October 4, 2026
Williamson was among this year’s honorees alongside The Pitt actress Katherine LaNasa and former NBA player Jason Collins.
Berlanti and his husband, Robbie Rogers, chaired the gala, which is named for Berlanti’s mother, Barbara. She died in 2017 from complications related to lung cancer.
F Cancer scheduled the 2026 event for Oct. 3 at Barker Hangar and raises money for programs involving cancer prevention, early detection and support for people affected by the disease.
Other guests included Noah Wyle, Octavia Spencer, Matthew Lillard, Yvonne Orji, Danielle Panabaker and several members of The Pitt cast.
Humes Survived Colon Cancer After an Early Diagnosis
Humes disclosed in 2025 that she had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 2007, a medical history she had kept private for nearly two decades.
She told Us Weekly that doctors caught the cancer before it broke through the intestinal wall.
“We dodged a bullet,” Humes said. “It was all because of early detection.”
Humes discussed the experience while preparing for a 2025 Dawson’s Creek reunion supporting Van Der Beek, who had been undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer. She said Van Der Beek personally told her about his diagnosis and that the two had several private conversations afterward.
The 2025 Cast Reunion Also Benefited F Cancer
Jackson, Humes and many of their former castmates had gathered for the same organization a year earlier at New York’s Richard Rodgers Theatre.
Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Jackson, Humes, Busy Philipps, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe, John Wesley Shipp and other members of the cast participated in a live reading of the show’s 1998 pilot on Sept. 22, 2025.
Van Der Beek had planned to appear but withdrew shortly before the event after becoming ill. He sent a prerecorded message instead, while Lin-Manuel Miranda stepped into the role of Dawson for the reading.
The event raised money for F Cancer and Van Der Beek while drawing attention to colorectal cancer and screening. Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11, 2026, at age 48 after his cancer diagnosis.
Williamson and Berlanti Helped Shape ‘Dawson’s Creek’
Williamson created Dawson’s Creek, which premiered in 1998 and ran for six seasons. Berlanti joined the series during its early years and eventually became an executive producer and showrunner.
Humes appeared throughout the entire run as Gail Leery, while Jackson’s Pacey became one of the show’s central characters alongside Dawson, Joey Potter and Jen Lindley.
The Oct. 3 gala brought Jackson and Humes together with Williamson and Berlanti again, this time at an event tied directly to the cancer organization the cast had supported during Van Der Beek’s illness.