Joshua Jacksonstarted acting at 11 years old and never stopped. His first big role was as Charlie Conway in theMighty Duckstrilogy, and from there, he got the role that made him famous, as Pacey Witter inDawson’s Creek.The charismatic actor went from being the funny, sarcastic sidekick to the lead of the show while becoming a teenage heartthrob for a whole generation of those who watch the many WB shows, likeDawson’s Creek,Felicity, or Charmed.
Jackson spent the early 2000s trying to survive Pacey and playing all kinds of lead and supporting roles in all kinds of films (horror, animation, or rom-coms, to name a few), and even had an incredible cameo inOcean’s Eleven.In 2008, he went back to the medium that always loved him best, TV, withFringe, and since then, has kept working on TV, getting roles that have helped him evolve and show more sides of his acting than a charismatic, sarcastic teenager, making him one of those working actors that audiences love when they appear on their show. Here are Joshua Jackson’s 10 best performances, ranked.
10Bobby (2006)
Emilio Estevez directedBobby, an ensemble piece with many short stories about the day Bobby Kennedy was killed at the Ambassador Hotel in 1968 in Los Angeles. The movie has an incredible cast, that includes Anthony Hopkins, Heather Graham, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Laurence Fishburne, Lindsay Lohan, and Jackson.
What Makes it Great
This was the first collaboration as adults between Estevez and Jackson after theMighty Ducksfranchise, and the director knew how to use the actor, as Jackson gives a small but great performance as the earnest Wade Buckley, Kennedy’s campaign manager, who believes that with his help, the candidate will be able to change America for the better.
Rent on Vudu
9Cruel Intentions (1999)
Cruel Intentions
Cruel Intentionsis a reimagination ofDangerous Liaisonsas a teenage drama with rich New York teenagers. Sebastian (Ryan Phillipe) is already a lothario, even at his young age, and his step-sister, Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar playing against type), bets him they will sleep together if he’s able to seduce virginal Annette (Reese Witherspoon).Gossip Girlwould probably not exist if it weren’t for this film.
Jackson plays a different character than most he had played back then. He’s Blaine Tuttle, a bleach-blonde-haired, rich, gay teenager who helps Sebastian with his schemes. Although it’s a small role, Jackson is having the time of his life, as this preppy, conniving character is like nothing he’s played before, making a big mark with a small role.
Rent on Apple TV
8The Skulls (2000)
The Skullsis a college thriller, where Luke (Jackson), a poor but promising college student, is offered to become part of an elite secret society called “The Skulls”, where he’ll gain access, money, and power. He gets seduced by that life until his best friend Will (Hill Harper) is killed, probably by the members of the club. This is alsoa must-see for Paul Walker fans, as he plays the other lead character, Caleb Mandrake.
Jackson is always great as the underdog, and this story is no different. Here, he shows his character’s backbone, as he investigates what happened to his friend, and decides to do the right thing, even if it will make his life much more difficult. The actor greatly sells how he enjoys the perks of this secret society, but, once he understands what had happened becomes a much moral man with a mission; uncover the truth, and his performance shows that resilience in every moment of the film.
7Little Fires Everywhere (2020)
Little Fires Everywhere
Based on Celeste Ng’s book,Little Fires Everywhereis all about Elena (Reese Witherspoon inone of her best performances) and Mia (Kerry Washington) as two mothers with very different backgrounds and ways of looking at life, especially when Mia starts working for Elena as her housekeeper.
Although Witherspoon and Washington are the stars here, Jackson gives a great supporting performance as Bill, Elena’s husband. He plays a busy, working father, who loves his family, but who isn’t home enough to understand what his wife is going through. It’s a new kind of character for Jackson, as he doesn’t usually play the responsible, adult, boring parent, and yet he still makes it work, as his chemistry with Witherspoon is excellent.
Stream on Hulu
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Miniseries adapted from books have certainly made their mark. Here are a few of the most compelling miniseries based on books to watch right now.
6One Week (2008)
One Weekis all about a Toronto teacher named Ben (Jackson), who finds out he has stage IV cancer and decides he prefers to get a bike and travel for a week than to get treatment when it’s probably too late to get cured.
Jackson is the lead here, and the movie only works because of his performance. His Ben has had one of the worst things imaginable happen to him, and during his travels, he goes through all the stages of grief, while also thinking about the roads not taken, and his whole life. This was an indie Canadian film, and Jackson earned a Genie Award (Canada’s Oscars) for his performance.
5When They See Us (2019)
When They See Us
Ava DuVernay’sWhen They See Usis a miniseries about the real-life case of the Central Park Five, as five Black teenagers confess to a sexual assault after being intimidated by the police to get them to do so. This TV show chronicles one of the biggest injustices ever committed by the police, showing all the consequences for the kids' lives as they spend years in prison until the real assaulter confessed.
Jackson is a supporting player on the show, playing the lawyer to one of the accused, Antron McCray (Caleel Harris), and plays him as an idealistic character who believes in his client’s innocence, but isn’t able to free him, as he knows the system is rigged. The character is used to say some of the problems and biases the law has in this kind of case, and make them integral in his characters’ motivations.
Stream on Netflix
4The Affair (2014-2019)
The Affair
The Affairfollowed the entanglement of two married people, Noah Solloway (Dominic West) and Alison Bailey (Ruth Wilson). What makes this show distinct is how it plays with perspective, as sometimes the audience sees the same event and how it changes if we’re seeing it from his or her perspective. Jackson plays Cole, Alison’s husband, as the couple is still grieving the death of their four-year-old son.
This was a different type of character for Jackson to play, as Cole is no saint, has bursts of fury, and knows how to emotionally hurt his wife. And yet, the actor showed why Cole was damaged, how hurt he was underneath, and how all that sadness had broken him, and made him less of a human being. From the second season on, audiences also saw Cole’s point of view, allowing Jackson to keep creating and molding one of the saddest characters on TV, while making him more tridimensional.
Stream on Fubo TV, Paramount+, and Showtime
3The Mighty Ducks Franchise (1992-1996)
The Mighty Ducks
WhenThe Mighty Duckswas released, nobody knew that it would be one of Disney’s biggest franchises ever, a staple for a whole generation, and even created a real-life hockey team in Anaheim. The star of the first two films is Emilio Estevez as coach Gordon Bombay, but Jackson plays the most important player on the team in all three films, Charlie Conway.
This was Jackson’s first lead role, as his character became a sort of surrogate son to Bombay, and the lead kid character in the whole franchise, transitioning the actor from a young kid to a teenager by the third movie. Jackson gets better with every film, becoming the heart of the franchise, going from earnest kid, to trustworthy player, and charismatic presence, and showing some of the qualities that will later be used as Pacey in Dawson’s Creek, especially in the last entry in the saga where he’s much more rebellious.
Stream on Disney+
2Fringe (2008-2013)
Fringewas one of thebest shows created by J.J. Abrams, a sci-fi story about a fringe division of the FBI that investigates the paranormal, withThe X-Filesas one of its biggest inspirations. The team was formed by FBI Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), and the father-son duo of Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), a unique kind of crazy scientist, and Peter Bishop (Jackson), as his estranged son. As the show went along, the episodic stories became something much bigger with parallel realities, doppelgängers, and time traveling, transforming itself into one of the best sci-fi shows of its time.
Jackson uses his usual charm here, but he mixes it with more earnestness, and intelligence, creating a character who is still weary of his father, but knows he must do the right thing. The relationship between Jackson and Noble as the Bishop allowed the actor to show a different side of his acting, one more vulnerable, damaged, and delicate, as, during the five seasons, they both mend fences, and become a family again. Jackson can have chemistry with anyone, but Torv and him are electric together, selling their possible romance from their first interaction until their last.
Stream on Max
Dawson’s Creek: Here’s Where the Cast is Today
Dawson’s Creek skyrocketed the careers of most of its actors. Let’s look at what the cast is up to today.
1Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003)
Dawson’s Creekwas a show about a group of very smart and loquacious teens in a small town in North Carolina named Capeside. The whole cast became known for their roles; James Van Der Beek as Dawson, Katie Holmes as Joey, Joshua Jackson as Pacey, and Michelle Williams, before she becameone of her generation’s best actressesas Jen. As with any teenage TV series, there was love, heartbreak, first kisses, and one of the best-executed love triangles in this kind of story.
Jackson became a teenage heartthrob because of this TV series, as his Pacey stole the show from under James Van Der Beek and his character’s relationship with Joey became the most swoon-worthy love story in the whole show. The actor was able to transform the screw-up best friend character who had an affair with a teacher (in a story that hasn’t aged well) into a romantic hero, with his own dreams and dramatic arc, becoming worthy of his first, and only love, Joey Potter, and transforming every viewer into a member of “Team Pacey” along the way.
Stream on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Max
