Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson starred on Dawson's Creek together as friends-to-lovers Joey Potter and Pacey Witter
NEED TO KNOW
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The pair had an off-screen romance from 1998 until 1999
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Now, they are reuniting to star in Happy Hours, a film that Jackson said Holmes wrote for "the two of us"
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, few on-screen romances gained as much attention asKatie HolmesandJoshua Jackson'sDawson's Creekcharacters.
The WB teen drama premiered in 1998, introducing viewers to Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) and his core group of friends, including Joey Potter (Holmes) and Pacey Witter (Jackson). By the time the series wrapped in 2003, Joey and Pacey's friends-to-lovers story line cemented its spot in iconic television romances.
But, before Joey and Pacey became an item in the series, Holmes and Jackson had a quiet, real-life romance of their own, dating from 1998 until 1999 andcontinuing to work together after their split.
Now, the pair — who are bothdivorced— have reunited in recent months for Holmes' new project,Happy Hours, a trilogy of films she wrote, directed and starred in (alongside Jackson) that follows past loves who cross paths and rekindle their connection years later. During a March 2026 appearance onToday, Jackson said that Holmes "wrote this beautiful story for the two of us."
Off-screen, Holmes has subtly liked comments on Instagram in April 2026 that suggested she and Jackson should "be a couple," teasing that art might be intimidating life.
Below, here's a look back at Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson's cutest throwback photos.
The beginning ofDawson's Creek
The teen drama aired in January 1998, starring the late Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery, Holmes as Joey Potter, Jackson as Pacey Witter andMichelle Williamsas Jen Lindley. The series followed the teenagers as they experienced the ups and downs of friendship and romance in high school and college.
Pacey and Joey's first kiss
ManyDawson's Creekepisodes go down in history, but season 3's "Cinderella Story" marked a pivotal one for Pacey and Joey shippers as the friends faced their feelings and shared their first kiss.
A real-life romance
Holmes and Jackson dated from 1998 until 1999, before theirDawson's Creekcharacters got together on-screen.
Sailing into the sunset
Their on-screen love story changed forever in 2000, when the season 3 finale saw Pacey set sail on his boat — with Joey joining him.
Team Pacey
In March 2025, Jackson spoke to PEOPLE about the longtimeDawson's Creekdebate over who Joey's endgame should have been, saying, "I'll go to my grave Team Pacey."
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The actor previously toldEntertainment Weeklyin May 2022 that he spoke to creatorKevin Williamsonabout making Joey and Pacey end up together, despite his initial plans to have her and Dawson get a happily ever after.
"I am the advocate! I was like 'Hell no! No. No. No. That's not gonna work for me," Jackson said, going on to share his conversation with Williamson.
"Like 'Look, I get it. This is the idea that you had in your head, but I'm just gonna ask you to watch the tale of the tape and this is the more interesting end for these characters,' " Jackson recalled.
Off-screen moments
In November 1999, theDawson's Creekcast gathered at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington for what was called the "Concert on the Creek."
Behind the scenes
Williams, Jackson, Van Der Beek and Holmes attended several press events together through the early 2000s — and maintained a strong bond years later.
"Everyone's grown up and is busy, but thebond will forever be there," Holmes told U.K. outletThe Timesin June 2004.
Anti-prom
Season 3's "Anti-Prom" episode marked another turning point for Pacey and Joey as they share an intimate dance together, on a night in which Dawson was hoping for a romantic reunion of his own with the leading lady.
Honoring their friend
In February 2026, Holmes and Jackson's costar Van Der Beekdied at 48 years oldfollowing a journey with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
Shortly after, Holmes shared a heartfeltInstagramtribute to Van Der Beek, writing, "I amso grateful to have shared in a piece of James’ journey. He is beloved."
Jackson reflected on his former costar's death in his March 2026Todayappearance, saying that he has spent the past few weeks thinking about Van Der Beek's life and legacy "quite a bit."
"Itwas formative for us," he said of their sharedDawson's Creekexperience. "And I know both of us look back on that time with great fondness. But I will also say is [that] I know that I’m just a footnote in what he actually accomplished in his life."
Read the original article onPeople