Tragic Details About Joshua Jackson's Life

Joshua Jackson's foray into Hollywood started long before he played Pacey Witter in "Dawson's Creek." Only a year after the 13-year-old Canadian-American made his debut in the 1991 film, "Crooked Hearts," he landed the role of Charlie Conway in "The Mighty Ducks." While reflecting on his impressive career in a chat with Q Magazine, Jackson confirmed that his mother wasn't the pushy show-mother that many other once-popular child stars who completely vanished had — she only supported his decision to get into acting because he was so deeply passionate about it. However, after turning 17, Jackson was unsure if he had a future in Hollywood. The "Doctor Odyssey" star confessed that he was unable to land roles back then because executives deemed him too old to play children and too young for adult parts. Thankfully, that rough period ended when "Dawson's Creek" came knocking on the then-20-year-old struggling actor's door. 

During an April 2025 appearance on the "Dinner's On Me" podcast, Jackson revealed that he had to go through a grueling audition process to land the role of the teenage heartthrob. He took part in around nine auditions for the roles of both Dawson Leery and Pacey before it came to a terrifying final round, which he likened to "The Hunger Games." Jackson recalled how he had to travel to the Warner Bros. Ranch and audition in groups with 35 other actors. As they progressed, many of the other actors were told they didn't get the part. At the end of the tiring day, only James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Jackson remained. However, as his fame grew, so did his challenges. 

While speaking to The Times in 2023, Joshua Jackson admitted that he developed imposter syndrome in his 20s after realizing that his paychecks from a handful of episodes of "Dawson's Creek" exceeded his peers' parents' yearly salaries. The Canadian-American actor recalled some troubling thoughts that fueled it: 'You're trying to set me up to be a role model to kids, and I definitely am not, and you're paying me all this money that I don't deserve." He was reluctant to revisit that time in his life since it resurfaced so many complex feelings. Meanwhile, in a July 2021 chat with Mr Porter, Jackson stressed that he was incredibly grateful for all the money he made through the beloved show. But he also acknowledged, "You feel like a fraud and it took me a long time to forgive myself for not being the thing that I was perceived as." 

For the "Affair" star, being famous at a young age wasn't easy because notoriety was so fleeting. For instance, Jackson thought back to the time he went on a date with a woman who was behaving strangely back in the 2000s. Unfortunately, he later realized that she had hired paparazzi to snap photos of them together and had also told news outlets that their romance was getting serious and he would be meeting her parents soon. While reflecting on the downsides of fame in a September 2021 interview with the Independent, the actor credited his loved ones with keeping him grounded, alongside quipping, "I think the process of not being a d*** is a lifelong one."

During a 2023 appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Joshua Jackson disclosed that his father had walked out on their family when he was around six years old. He consistently ignored people's advice to work past their estrangement because the actor felt that reconciling wouldn't do him any good in the long run. However, Jackson still found some solace in knowing that he had managed to have a candid conversation with his father before his passing. While chatting with OK! magazine in 2020, the "Fringe" star detailed how their estrangement affected him: "It's probably what animated a lot of the negative aspects of my personality," (via RTÉ). Jackson further noted, "You never really get over it. I don't think you can. You just metabolize it. It just becomes a part of your life." 

Meanwhile, during an April 2025 episode of the "Dinner's On Me" podcast, the nineties icon explained that he pitied his father because he had to carry the weight of not having a close bond with any of his four kids around with him. Additionally, he asserted that even the idea of becoming estranged from Juno, whom Jackson shares with his ex-wife Jodie Turner-Smith, was devastating. While speaking to Clarkson, the "Urban Legend" star shared how he had even surprised himself during his final conversation with his dad by telling him, "I don't want you to think I hate you anymore, because if you hadn't made things so hard, I don't get here." Those words only hit harder after he became a father himself because his old man had given Jackson a blueprint of everything he didn't want to be.

In a statement shared with Deadline in January 2025, Joshua Jackson revealed that he was one of the many actors who had tragically lost their homes to the devastating L.A. fires. Speaking on "Today" in May 2025, he shared that when he broke the tragic news to his young daughter, Juno, she immediately started tearing up. When little Juno inquired about specific items from their home, Jackson candidly told her that the fire had consumed them all, too. After looking at photos of her burned-down house, Juno adorably implored her father to build their next home around fireproof items like water and dirt. Naturally, the house also meant a lot to "The Mighty Ducks" star because it was his childhood home. 

Speaking to Mr Porter in 2021, Jackson disclosed that his father had sold the house, in which he had many positive memories, following his divorce from his mother. Upon walking into it years later, he noticed that his bedroom still had the dragon mural from his childhood. When the actor asked the then-owner why they had chosen to keep it intact, they replied, "I knew it meant a lot to somebody and that they were going to come back for it some day." While appearing on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," in 2025, Jackson admitted that he had weathered many storms of his adult life in that house too. However, he was still happy that he had a chance to build a home for his daughter that didn't come with baggage, "So, when she grows up, every floorboard has her story in it."

Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith's relationship ended in October 2023 when the British actor filed for divorce after four years of marriage. Unfortunately, Jackson and Turner-Smith's split turned ugly in February 2025. According to court documents obtained by E! News at the time, the "Queen & Slim" star claimed that her ex-husband hadn't paid her a dime in spousal or child support for their daughter, Juno, whom they welcomed in 2020. Turner-Smith requested that the court order Jackson to shell out nearly $30,000 in outstanding payments as well as $8,543 a month for child support. In addition to claiming that the "Dawson's Creek" alum wanted sole legal custody of their child, she also argued, "During our marriage, I spent a significant amount of time as the primary caretaker to Juno while Josh continued to advance in his acting career." 

According to the "Anne Boleyn" star, Jackson always reassured her that he would continue to financially support Turner-Smith without fully understanding the challenges of being a single Black mother. Ultimately, though, the exes signed off on their divorce papers in May 2025. According to court documents cited by People, neither sought spousal support, but Jackson agreed to pay his ex-wife nearly $2,800 monthly in child support payments. However, their custody battle continued on. According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly in June 2025, Jackson pushed back against Turner-Smith's decision to have Juno fly with her to London for five weeks while she worked there because he didn't think prolonged distance from one parent was healthy for their child.

Joshua Jackson's relationship history serves as an unfortunate reminder that he has had his heart broken multiple times. In October 2023, an Entertainment Tonight insider revealed that the "Karate Kid: Legends" star's 4-year marriage to Jodie Turner-Smith had ultimately ended because their hectic schedules had driven the couple apart. Meanwhile, a Daily Mail source offered some insight into Jackson's feelings about their split, dishing, "Joshua is heartbroken over the impending divorce. He always thought that he would be married and grow old with his family, and everything would be happily ever after." Moreover, they also claimed that the "Cruel Intentions" star would have happily reconciled with Turner-Smith until she actually went ahead with legal proceedings. Notably, another insider suggested to Us Weekly that the decision to end their relationship was completely one-sided, reasoning, "Joshua was clearly caught off guard by Jodie's decision to divorce." 

They clarified that although the Canadian-American actor was well aware that his marriage to Turner-Smith was on shaky ground, he didn't quite realize just how dissatisfied his then-wife was with him. Tragically, in a July 2021 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Jackson gushed about how getting married had completely transformed his life for the better, sharing, "There is nothing that is not better off than being married to her and having that baby. It's everything." Although the exes didn't open up about their heartbreak, Turner-Smith apparently hinted at some discord by throwing shade at her ex-husband. After Jackson filed a motion seeking an emergency custody order modification amidst their dispute over their daughter's schooling, Turner-Smith took to Instagram Stories to repost a cryptic message about not being trustworthy of seemingly "nice" people (via People).