NEWSJoshua Jackson Says He’s Still 'Very, Very Close' to 'Dawson Creek' Costar Katie Holmes 25 Years After Romance
Joshua Jackson said he’s still 'very, very close' to Katie Holmes more than 25 years after their 'Dawson’s Creek' romance.
April 27 2025, Published 11:00 a.m. ET
Joshua Jackson recently opened up about his enduring relationship with ex-girlfriend and Dawson's Creek costar Katie Holmes, over 25 years after their whirlwind romance.
On Tuesday, April 22, the 46-year-old star of Doctor Odyssey appeared on Jesse Ferguson's "Dinner's on Me" podcast, and fans of the iconic teen drama were treated to a surprisingly sweet update on his connection with Holmes. Jackson revealed just how tight-knit the Dawson's Creek family remains, rallying around James Van Der Beek amid his cancer diagnosis in 2024.
Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes dated from 1997 to 1998 while playing iconic 'Dawson's Creek' couple Pacey and Joey.
"Busy [Philipps] and Michelle [Williams] are very, very close. And Katie and I are very close," Joshua confessed to Jesse, 49. "It's not a daily call. Sometimes it's not a weekly or monthly or even a half-yearly call. But when you're together, A, there's always that, like, I know you know."
He continued, "And B, there is, you know, these moments, like, these major moments in life are, like, other than your husband, there's probably no other people in your life that you are that forged to. Because you had to go through good and bad, and happy and f--- you, and don't talk to me and I love you."
Holmes and Jackson's on-screen characters, the lovable Joey Potter and charming Pacey Witter, ended up together in the series. But their offscreen romance only lasted from 1997 to 1998.
In 1998, Katie Holmes described her first love with Joshua Jackson as 'incredible and indescribable.'
Flashback to 1998, when Holmes, now 46, coyly reflected on their relationship in an interview with Rolling Stone. "I'm just going to say that I met somebody last year," she said, carefully dodging naming Jackson. "I fell in love, I had my first love, and it was something so incredible and indescribable that I will treasure it always."
The Batman Begins star added, "I feel so fortunate because he's now one of my best friends. He's been in the business so long, and he's really helped me. I respect him as a friend and as a professional."
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Fast forward to the present, both stars have charted different love lives post-split. Holmes famously married the dashing Tom Cruise in 2006, after a romance that began in 2005. Their daughter, Suri Cruise, was born in April 2006, just months before the couple tied the knot in an extravagant Italian castle, complete with A-list attendees including Jennifer Lopez and the Beckhams.
But in a shocking twist, Katie filed for divorce from the Top Gun actor in June 2012 — and it was finalized just 11 days later.
Joshua Jackson said his bond with Katie Holmes has only grown stronger with time.
As for Joshua, he followed a similar trajectory, marrying now-ex-wife Jodie Smith Turner after a romantic encounter at Usher's 40th birthday bash in 2018. Fans were taken by surprise when rumors of their secret wedding circulated, confirmed months later by a source to People.
Notably, Jodie delivered their daughter, Juno Rose Diana Jackson, in April 2020. However, their fairytale wasn't meant to last, as Jodie filed for divorce from Joshua in October 2023, a split that's still fresh.
Joshua Jackson said his split isn't 'a failure.'
"I don't think it's a failure," the family matriarch told The Times in February 2024. "We obviously had such a beautiful moment together. And now it's time for a new moment for both of us. And how exciting! The bravest thing in the world is to recognize when something's not working and to make a move, and I always want to set that kind of example for my daughter."
