Date of Birth

11 December 1978, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Birth Name

Joshua Browning Jackson Carter

Nickname

J.J.
Josh

Height

6' 1" (1.85 m)

Mini Biography

Joshua Carter Jackson was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. His Irish mother, Fiona Jackson, is a casting director originally from Dublin. His American father, John Carter Jackson, is from Texas. Josh spent the first eight years of his life in California before returning to Canada. At the age of 11, Josh decided he wanted to pursue acting. Knowing how cruel an acting career could be, his mother took him to his first audition in hopes of discouraging him. Instead, he landed a commercial for Keebler's potato chips. Since then, Josh has had a full career ranging from theater to television.

Trivia

• chosen as one of Teen People Magazine's "21 Hottest Stars Under 21" [1999]
• Was roommates with James Van Der Beek during the first season of Dawson's Creek (1998).
• Mother, Fiona Jackson, is a casting director, author and a life coach.
• Took time after High School to travel through Europe
• Younger sister is Aisleagh Jackson. Also has two older half-brothers, Jonathan and Lyman, from his dad's first marriage.
• Had a dog named Shumba who he was very close to. Sadly, Shumba died in July 2006.
• His grandparents were opera singers in Dublin, Ireland
• First on-screen appearance was, when he was several months old, in The Changeling (1980), which starred George C. Scott.
• At age 9, he was a stand in for The Fly II (1989) and an extra on MacGyver (1985) for several episodes.
• Screen tested for the title role in Batman Begins (2005), but lost out to Christian Bale.
• Briefly attended Ideal Mini School in Vancouver.
• Unlike most Canadian born actors, he has never been introduced at the Toronto Film Festival.
• Was initially scheduled for a cameo in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), but Kevin Smith decided to go with James Van Der Beek, the lead star in the WB's Dawson's Creek (1998), instead.
• Attended the 2006 Dubai International Film Festival in the United Arab Emirates.
• Mother Fiona Jackson hails from Dublin, Ireland and attended Trinity College in Dublin.
• Saved a girl's life who was drowning in Wilmington. The cast and crew of Dawson's Creek (1998) gave him a life preserver to remember it.
• Had to be rushed to a hospital when during a stunt performed on the set of Fringe (2008) a copper wire was shoved up his nose and hit a vein. [September 2008]
• Was in a long-term relationship with Diane Kruger for 10-years (2006 - 2016). However, the couple separated amicably in July 2016, stating that they would remain friends.
• Auditioned for the role of James T. Kirk in Star Trek (2009).
• Currently filming the television series Fringe (2008) in New York City. [September 2008]
• Vancouver, Canada: Finishing the 4th season of Fringe (2008). [March 2012]
• Recently met ex-President Bill Clinton during "Speak Truth to Power" appearing with the cast of Bobby (2006), girlfriend Diane Kruger, and "Bobby" director and The Mighty Ducks (1992) co-star, Emilio Estevez. [November 2006]
• Starring along with Patrick Stewart in "A Life in the Theatre" in London, England, UK. [February 2005]
• Was considered for the title role of Dawson Leery in Dawson's Creek (1998) before being cast as Pacey.
• In late 2019 married actress Jodie Turner-Smith. She gave birth to the couple's first child, a girl, in April 2020.
• Went to high school with Ryan Reynolds.

Quotes

• The anti-elitist values in America, I think, are very destructive to education.
• I was born in Vancouver, moved to Los Angeles and when my parents split up, gradually moved back up the west coast. I was able to pack a lot of experience into my 19 years. My parents getting divorced was obviously a very traumatic experience. And then after, it was just me, my sister and my mother, and we went at it alone. I went from being a very well-off little kid to having a couple rough years, to rebuilding, my mother did that. She and I are very close.
• "I think Uma Thurman is one of God's creatures, one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen".
• I love Vancouver. I can be with my family, I can reconnect with the guys. It will always be my home.
• Nobody criticizes the 'Mighty Ducks' trilogy and gets away with it. Nobody!
• It seems this [parallel universe] idea is part of the zeitgeist right now. Maybe it's due to my west coast liberal upbringing, but, the idea of parallel universes doesn't strike me as being too far out there. After the 60s and its psychedelia and the doors of perception and what have you. What defies my imagination is that there would be nothing out there that would defy my imagination. Maybe it's because I'm a sci-fi fan. It's like the Carl Sagan thing, the candle in the dark - it only serves to illuminate how much we still don't know. -- on the idea of parallel universes.
• That's the beauty of our show. If we don't have a new crazy thing, something's gone horribly wrong. There's the individual creepy, gooey stuff, but what we've done pretty well is make each one of the creepy gooey things adds up to a much bigger story. -- on "Fringe"
• For me, the desire exists less to get myself a degree than to just go and have the whole college experience, and throw myself into the brain pool and see if I can swim.
• I'm not really the type to wear my heart on my sleeve. I would let someone know if I liked them, but it takes a while for me to fall in love.
• I've had more of an opportunity to work with Katie Holmes, which is incredibly enjoyable. I think she is really one of the best actresses on the market right now. She forces you to bring your best stuff to the table, because if you don't, she just completely overpowers you.
• I hate people saying anything stupid. I don't really suffer fools very well at all. When people are acting like idiots, not that I'm not guilty of doing the odd idiotic thing myself from time to time, but when people say stupid things, it stresses me out.
• If I only dated actresses, I'd be a very lonely man.