‘Dawson’s Creek’: Pacey Makes a Joke About Joey That Joshua Jackson Later Used To Compliment Katie Holmes
Dawson’s Creek, one of the most popular teen drama series of the ’90s and ’00s, features several memorable characters. But it’s the romance between Joey and Pacey that many remember so many years later. However, they started as friends, with Pacey once comparing Joey to one famous actor.
Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes starred in ‘Dawson’s Creek’
In Dawson’s Creek, Jackson portrayed Pacey Witter. Before the series began, Jackson had the most experience of any of his young co-stars, having acted in The Mighty Ducks film franchise. Following the show’s end, Jackson continued his work on the small screen with series such as Fringe, The Affair, and Little Fires Everywhere.
Playing opposite Jackson was Katie Holmes. Holmes had been in just one movie before landing the role of Joey Potter. She went on to star in such films as Teaching Mrs. Tingle, Pieces of April, and Batman Begins. Holmes is also known for portraying Jacqueline Kennedy in the miniseries The Kennedys and The Kennedys: After Camelot.
Their characters had an on-again, off-again relationship
Pacey and Joey begin the series as the two best friends of the titular Dawson Leery. They spend time together in school and after it, working on Dawson’s films. Aside from a kiss in season 1 that prompts some feelings on Pacey’s end, they remain strictly friends until season 3, when they first establish a relationship.
The couple breaks up a few times throughout the series. After dating for nearly all of their senior year, they split up at prom. Though they remain friends and date other people, they get back together for a short time in season 6. The series ends with Joey choosing Pacey over Dawson years in the future.
Jackson and Holmes dated before Pacey and Joey did
Even before there was an inkling that Pacey and Joey could become more than friends, the actors who portrayed them had their own romance. And while it was short-lived (like many of the characters’ own flings), Holmes looked back on their relationship, which began while filming season 1, fondly.
“I’m just going to say that I met somebody last year,” she told Rolling Stone in 1998, during filming for season 2. “I fell in love, I had my first love, and it was something so incredible and indescribable that I will treasure it always.” Though she didn’t say his name, Holmes called her co-star, “one of my best friends.”
Jackson cited this actor when talking about Holmes
In that same profile for Rolling Stone, Jackson returned the favor, speaking kindly about his ex-girlfriend and current friend. “Katie has more latent ability than anybody I’ve ever worked with,” the actor said. “The onus is on her now to turn into a Meryl Streep and not rest on her laurels.”
Interestingly for those who watched the series, this harkens back to something Pacey said about Joey in the Dawson’s Creek pilot — albeit with a very different connotation. While filming a scene for his movie, Dawson berates his actors for being behind schedule. “Hey, it’s Meryl Streep’s fault, OK?” says Pacey “Bite me,” replies Joey.
