Joshua Jackson has spent most of his life in front of a camera, but he’s managed to do something not every child actor pulls off—he grew up, stayed relevant, and kept finding interesting roles along the way. Born on June 11, 1978, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Joshua Carter Jackson came from a creative family. His mother was a casting director, so the entertainment world wasn’t some distant dream—it was practically part of the household.

He began acting at a young age, and by the early 1990s, he had already landed the role that would introduce him to a generation of young moviegoers. As Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks (1992), Jackson played the scrappy, determined team captain who helped turn a group of misfits into champions. He reprised the role in two sequels, and suddenly he wasn’t just another kid actor—he was part of one of the most beloved family sports franchises of the decade.

Then came the role that made him a teen idol. In 1998, Jackson was cast as Pacey Witter on the WB drama Dawson’s Creek. While the show’s title focused on Dawson, it didn’t take long for audiences to fall for Pacey instead. With his sarcasm, loyalty, and surprising emotional depth, Pacey became the fan favorite. By the time the series ended in 2003, Jackson had gone from former Mighty Duck to full-blown heartthrob.

During and after Dawson’s Creek, he tried his hand at a variety of film roles. He appeared in the horror film Urban Legend (1998) and the college drama The Skulls (2000). Some projects did well, others didn’t, but he consistently worked, which is often the real victory in Hollywood.

In 2008, Jackson took on a completely different kind of role in the science-fiction series Fringe. He played Peter Bishop, the street-smart son of a brilliant but unstable scientist. The show mixed crime drama, strange science, and alternate universes, and it built a loyal fan base over its five-season run. Jackson’s performance helped ground the series emotionally, even when the plot involved time travel, parallel realities, and the occasional shape-shifting menace.

After Fringe, he moved into more mature dramatic territory. He starred in the Showtime series The Affair, which explored complicated relationships and emotional fallout from multiple perspectives. The role showed a more intense, dramatic side of his acting and earned him critical praise. He later appeared in projects like When They See Us, Little Fires Everywhere, and Dr. Death, continuing to take on complex, adult roles.

Jackson has also spent time on stage. In 2018, he made his Broadway debut in a revival of Children of a Lesser God, proving he could handle live theater just as comfortably as television and film.

Off-screen, Jackson is known for being laid-back and thoughtful. He’s a big soccer fan—real football, as the rest of the world calls it—and enjoys traveling and trying new foods. He’s also a reader who prefers a quiet evening with a good book over the typical Hollywood party scene.

In his personal life, he married actress Jodie Turner-Smith in 2019, and the couple welcomed a daughter in 2020. Though they later separated, Jackson has spoken openly about the importance of fatherhood and staying present in his child’s life. It’s a role he seems to take as seriously as any part he’s played on screen.

Like most actors, his career has included a few near-misses. He auditioned for roles he didn’t land, including parts that went to friends and co-stars. Some films didn’t perform as expected. But he’s managed something more important than constant hits—longevity. From child actor to teen idol to respected dramatic lead, he’s built a career that keeps evolving.