James Van Der Beek on How The Real Full Monty Taught Him the Importance of Asking for ‘Help’ After Cancer Diagnosis (Exclusive)

Getting naked for a cause is quite the bonding experience!

The stars of The Real Full Monty opened up to PEOPLE about stripping down to raise awareness for prostate, testicular and colorectal cancer testing and research in the two-hour Fox special, which airs on Dec. 9.

James Van Der Beek, Anthony Anderson, Taye Diggs, Chris Jones, Tyler Posey and Bruno Tonioli each had their own reasons for supporting the program, with Diggs saying it brought them closer after sharing the experience.

“We didn’t know each other to that extent — we really ended up getting personal,” he shares. “So there was that, and then to get together and to have this movement, we all move differently and to have [choreographer] Mandy [Moore] find the right movement for all of us to do together in concert, it was really, really, very cool.”

“It’s not an easy thing to get a bunch of men with egos and insecurities to move together on the same beat,” Diggs, 53, adds.

Van Der Beek, who was recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer, notes that the group of men had to let their guard down, which was symbolic of breaking the mental barriers many people have toward men’s health exams.

“For me, what I realized was just how important it is to get a supportive group together no matter what you’re going through,” the Dawson’s Creek alum, 47, says. “I think a lot of men — I know I was one of those  — are just never wanting to ask help for anything. But being in a group like this, you realize, oh, it’s so much better, it’s safety in numbers.”

Tonioli, 69, agrees, admitting that as a dancer (and judge on Dancing with the Stars), he wasn’t put as far out of his comfort zone as his co-stars, but they were each challenged in unique ways.

“It was very good because again, we represented the full spectrum, in a way, of society,” he explains. “I think as well, for me, it was being, to a certain extent, your real self instead of the performing persona. All of us did that, and I found that very inspiring. Very, very refreshing in a way.”

“It’s being part of a team, it’s really feeling united,” he continues. “Seriously, that was the greatest experience, is feeling that we are all together, we have a purpose and we are united in delivering this message. That’s really what this is all about.”

Anderson, 54, says he always thought he was an open person, but doing The Real Full Monty gave him a new idea of what that means.

“Operating from a space of fearlessness — I’ve always moved that way — but to stand on stage buck naked with five other men in front of a live audience really puts it all into perspective,” he laughs.

Doing “the right thing” was the primary motivation for Anderson’s participation. He explains that it’s important to him to encourage others “to not pay attention to the stigma” surrounding men’s health. “It helped me personally and it was always nice to know that you’re doing something for others as well,” he says.

By the end, Van Der Beek jokes that the group has plenty of memories of “falling on the floor laughing” and getting “out of that zone of comfortability”

“It’s hysterical,” Tonioli chimes in. “I mean, that actually would be so funny, all the outtakes.”

Posey adds: “[The choreographer] would be like, ‘All right, come on, you guys got to get it together. We have a performance that we’re getting ready for and stop laughing.’”

The Real Full Monty airs Monday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.