Joshua Jackson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joshua Jackson
Jackson at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	Joshua Carter Jackson (1978-06-11) June 11, 1978 (age 47) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Jodie Turner-Smith ​ ​ (m. 2019; div. 2023)​
Partner(s)	Diane Kruger (2006–2016)
Children	1

Joshua Carter Jackson (born June 11, 1978) is an actor from both America and Canada. He is famous for playing Pacey Witter in the teen drama Dawson's Creek (1998–2003). He also starred as Peter Bishop in the science fiction series Fringe (2008–2013). Later, he was in The Affair (2014–2018) and played Christopher Duntsch in the crime drama Dr. Death (2021). For Dr. Death, he was nominated for a Critics' Choice Television Award.

Joshua Jackson has also appeared in other TV shows like When They See Us (2019) and Little Fires Everywhere (2020). In movies, he became well-known for his role in The Mighty Ducks film series (1992–1996). He also acted in films such as Apt Pupil (1998), Urban Legend (1998), and The Skulls (2000). For his work in the Canadian film One Week (2008), Jackson won the Genie Award for Best Actor.

Early Life and Education

Joshua Jackson was born on June 11, 1978, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His mother, Fiona, is a casting director. His father is from Texas, and his mother is from Dublin, Ireland. She moved to North America in the late 1960s. Joshua has a younger sister named Aisleagh. He also has two older half-brothers, Jonathan and Lyman. He grew up in the Roman Catholic faith.

Jackson lived in California until he was eight years old. Then, he moved to Vancouver with his mother and younger sister. He has mentioned that his father left the family when they were in the U.S. He went to Ideal Mini School and then to Kitsilano Secondary School. He attended high school with actor Ryan Reynolds.

Acting Career Highlights

Jackson at the premiere of Bobby in 2006

Joshua Jackson started acting in 1991 with a small part in the film Crooked Hearts. The next year, he played Charlie in a musical version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. A casting director helped him join a talent agency. Soon after, he got the role of Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks movie series. In these films, he played a young hockey player.

Television Success

Jackson became very popular as Pacey Witter on Dawson's Creek. This show was created by Kevin Williamson. It aired on The WB network from 1998 to 2003. Other stars included James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams, and Katie Holmes. While Dawson's Creek was on break, he acted in several movies. These included The Skulls and The Safety of Objects. He also had a small appearance as himself in the movie Ocean's Eleven. In 2000, he was a guest voice on The Simpsons. He played Jesse Grass, an environmentalist, in the episode "Lisa the Tree Hugger".

After Dawson's Creek ended in 2003, Jackson took on lead roles in more films. He worked with actors like Dennis Hopper in Americano and Donald Sutherland in Aurora Borealis.

Stage and Sci-Fi Roles

In 2005, Jackson moved to the UK and performed on stage in London West End. He starred with Patrick Stewart in the play A Life in the Theatre. The play was very successful. Jackson later said he would like to act on Broadway. His next film was Bobby, directed by Emilio Estevez. He also had a main role in Shutter. He was both a star and an executive producer for the Canadian film One Week, which came out in 2009.

Jackson at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con

From 2008 to 2013, Jackson played Peter Bishop in the science-fiction series Fringe. This show was created by J. J. Abrams. Fringe was one of the most watched new shows when it first aired. Jackson was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for One Week. He won this award in 2010. In 2013, Jackson appeared in the film Inescapable. He also wrote a comic book story called "Peter and the Machine". Jackson then starred in the TV show The Affair, playing Cole Lockhart.

In 2018, Jackson made his first appearance on Broadway in the play Children of a Lesser God. He played James Leeds, a teacher at a school for the deaf. He had a complex relationship with a former student, Sarah Norman.

In 2019, Jackson played defense attorney Mickey Joseph in the miniseries When They See Us. In 2020, he co-starred with Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in the miniseries Little Fires Everywhere. This show was based on a popular novel.

Jackson was cast as Dr. Christopher Duntsch in Dr. Death. This series is based on a podcast about a doctor who faced serious legal issues related to his patients. In 2023, Jackson played the lead in the series Fatal Attraction.

Personal Life

Jackson with his then wife, Jodie Turner-Smith in 2020

Joshua Jackson was in a relationship with his Dawson's Creek co-star Katie Holmes during the first two seasons of the show. Holmes has said that Jackson was her first love.

From 2006 to 2016, he was in a relationship with German actress Diane Kruger.

Jackson started a relationship with actress Jodie Turner-Smith in 2018. They got married on August 18, 2019. Their daughter was born on April 13, 2020. In October 2023, it was announced that Turner-Smith had filed for divorce from Jackson.

In December 2023, Jackson and fellow actor Lupita Nyong'o confirmed they were dating. In October 2024, Nyong'o announced they were no longer together.

Jackson owns his childhood home in Topanga, California. This house unfortunately burned down in 2025 during the Palisades Fire. He used to live in Wilmington, North Carolina, where Dawson's Creek was filmed. He also lived in New York City when Fringe filmed its first season. In 2009, he moved back to Vancouver to film four more seasons of Fringe.

Jackson is a big fan of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team. He also supports the San Francisco 49ers football team.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Performances

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Joshua Jackson para niños