Katie Holmes Says She and Joshua Jackson Have 'Changed a Lot' Since “Dawson's Creek ”Ended 23 Years Ago
Katie Holmes Says She and Joshua Jackson Have 'Changed a Lot' Since “Dawson's Creek ”Ended 23 Years Ago
Rebecca AizinFri, June 5, 2026 at 8:56 PM UTC
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Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes attend the gala screening of "Brunello: The Gracious Visionary" at David Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center on April 14, 2026 ; Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson in 'Dawson's Creek'Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Warner Bros/Getty -
Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson reunite onscreen in the romantic dramedy Happy Hours, premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival June 6
The former Dawson's Creek costars developed a "shorthand" on set, showcasing their long-standing connection and collaboration
Holmes directed and wrote the film, marking her fourth project behind the camera and casting Jackson as her co-lead
Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson have reunited onscreen — but everything isn't exactly like how it used to be.
"We hadn't worked together in 25 years, and we've changed a lot," Holmes, 47, told Variety ahead of their movie Happy Hours' premiere at Tribeca Film Festival on June 6.
The actors spurred online chatter when they were seen filming in New York City in 2025, 22 years after the show that catapulted them to fame, Dawson's Creek, ended.
Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson are seen on the set of "Happy Hours" on July 21, 2025 in New York City.Credit: Jason Howard/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
"To be honest, it was unexpected," Holmes said. "I know we were on a show that a lot of people watched, but I guess we never fully realized the impact. It still kind of throws all of us."
The two famously dated in the early seasons of the show, but have remained friendly since. They reunite in the romantic dramedy Happy Hours, which is Holmes' fourth movie as a writer and director, as Liz, a newly divorced photographer, and Andrew, a journalist who broke her heart when they were teens.
This isn't their first time playing two people in love. In Dawson's Creek, they played beloved couple Joey and Pacey.
Katie Holmes, James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson in 'Dawson's Creek'Credit: Frank Ockenfels/The WB
As Holmes was casting the movie, she had Jackson, 47, in mind but was unsure whether he'd have interest. "Is this even a potential? Is this something you'd want to do?" she remembered wondering. While they were keen to collaborate again, Holmes said both wanted to make sure no one saw the project as a Dawson's reboot.
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"We also wanted to give ourselves the space to show different sides of ourselves and to not portray these people we're known for," she said.
Nearly three decades may have passed, but Holmes said the two were still in tune with each other on set, even developing a sort of "shorthand" to speak without words.
"It's like a shorthand that we quickly realize still exists," she said. "We've always done well working off one another. He directs me and I direct him without us even mentioning it."
Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes at the "Brunello: The Gracious Visionary" New York Gala Screening held at Lincoln Center's David Koch Theatre on April 14, 2026 in New York,Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty
Jackson previously spoke about the "magical" experience of reuniting with Holmes during a March 2026 appearance on Today.
"That time in my life would be for most people like their college years, right?" Jackson said, referencing his Dawson's Creek days. "And there are these people in your life — she's a lifelong friend now — and for us to be able to go back and do this again, and, honestly, for her to be able to create that space for us was kind of magical."
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Happy Hours premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 6.
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