Joshua Jackson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joshua Jackson
Jackson in 2010
Born	Joshua Carter Jackson (1978-06-11) June 11, 1978 (age 47) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Citizenship	Canada United States Ireland
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Jodie Turner-Smith ​ ​ (m. 2019; separated 2023)​
Partner(s)	Diane Kruger (2006–2016)
Children	1

Joshua Carter Jackson (born June 11, 1978) is an actor from Canada and the United States. He is well-known for playing different characters in popular TV shows and movies.

He became famous for his role as 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 played a main role in The Affair (2014–2018) and was nominated for an award for his role as Christopher Duntsch in the crime drama Dr. Death (2021).

Joshua Jackson has also appeared in other TV shows like When They See Us (2019), Little Fires Everywhere (2020), and Doctor Odyssey (2024). In movies, he is known for the Mighty Ducks film series (1992–1996). He also acted in films such as Apt Pupil (1998), Urban Legend (1998), Cruel Intentions (1999), and The Skulls (2000). For his acting in the Canadian film One Week (2008), he won the Genie Award for Best Actor.

Early Life and Education

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

Jackson lived in California until he was 8 years old. Then, he moved to Vancouver with his mother and younger sister. He went to Ideal Mini School and later to Kitsilano Secondary School. He even went to high school with actor Ryan Reynolds. In an interview, Jackson shared that he was once kicked out of high school. This happened because he would stay up late to watch The Jon Stewart Show and then be too tired to go to school in the mornings.

Acting Career Highlights

Jackson at the premiere of Bobby in 2006

Joshua Jackson started his acting career with a small part in the film Crooked Hearts in 1991. The next year, he played Charlie in a musical version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. A casting director from the play 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 and hopeful hockey player.

Becoming a Teen Star: Dawson's Creek

Jackson became very famous for his role as Pacey Witter on Dawson's Creek. This show was created by Kevin Williamson and aired from 1998 to 2003. He starred alongside James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams, and Katie Holmes.

While Dawson's Creek was on break, Joshua acted in several movies. These included Cruel Intentions, The Skulls, and The Safety of Objects. He also had a small appearance as himself in the movie Ocean's Eleven. In 2000, he lent his voice to the character of Jesse Grass, an environmentalist, in an episode of The Simpsons called "Lisa the Tree Hugger". He also played Beau in the movie Gossip that same year.

From Stage to Sci-Fi: Fringe and Beyond

After Dawson's Creek ended in 2003, Jackson took on lead roles in films with famous actors like Dennis Hopper and Donald Sutherland. In 2005, he moved to the UK and performed on stage in London West End. He starred with Patrick Stewart in a play called A Life in the Theatre. The play was very popular.

His next film was Bobby, directed by Emilio Estevez, who was also his co-star in The Mighty Ducks. He also had a lead role in Shutter, a remake of a Thai film. He starred in and helped produce the Canadian film One Week, which came out in 2009.

Jackson at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con

From 2008 to 2013, Jackson played the main character, Peter Bishop, in the science fiction series Fringe. This show was created by J. J. Abrams and was very popular.

In 2010, Jackson won a Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his work in One Week. He also hosted a fun event called "Pacey-Con" near the Comic-Con. He gave out fan fiction to people waiting in line, and the event was filmed for Will Ferrell's Funny or Die website. In 2013, Jackson appeared in the film Inescapable. He also wrote a comic book story called "Peter and the Machine" for the Beyond the Fringe series.

Jackson starred in the TV show The Affair, where he played Cole Lockhart. In March 2018, he 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.

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. Jackson was cast as Dr. Christopher Duntsch in Dr. Death (2021), a series based on a podcast. In 2023, Jackson played the lead role of Dan Gallagher in the series Fatal Attraction.

Personal Life

Jackson with his then wife, Jodie Turner-Smith in February 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 British actress Jodie Turner-Smith in 2018. They got married on August 18, 2019. On April 13, 2020, they welcomed their daughter. In October 2023, it was shared 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. In 2025, his house was unfortunately destroyed during wildfires in Los Angeles. He used to live in Wilmington, North Carolina, where Dawson's Creek was filmed. He also lived in New York City when Fringe was filmed there. In 2009, he moved back to Vancouver to film four more seasons of Fringe.

Joshua Jackson is a big fan of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Performances

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Joshua Jackson para niños