Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson reunited on the red carpet at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 6, holding hands and gushing about their “precious” relationship as they celebrated the world premiere of Happy Hours, the romantic dramedy Holmes wrote and directed.
At the New York premiere, Jackson, 47, praised the time he and Holmes spent together as young actors on Dawson’s Creek. “The time that we spent together when we were young is very precious to both of us,” he said in an interview, holding Holmes’ hand. “And it is like one of the core personal and professional relationships in my life.”
Jackson called Holmes’ work directing and writing the film exceptional. “She creates this beautiful space for the two of us to come back and work together and tell a beautiful story,” he explained. “A hopeful story, a real human story.” He added that he was “both flattered and excited” when Holmes asked him to reunite for the project, saying, “You wrote this for us. You did the whole thing. So it was magical for me to be able to come back.”
Holmes, 47, described her working relationship with Jackson as “very sacred” and said she took their on-screen reunion “very seriously.” She explained that the pair had often discussed working together again but never knew what form that project would take. “So it was really about that and agreeing to go for it, I suppose,” she shared. “He said yes, and that made me feel very good.”
The reunion marks the first time Holmes and Jackson have worked together since Dawson’s Creek ended in 2003—a gap of 23 years. The two dated in real life from 1998 to 1999 during the early seasons of the beloved WB series, when their on-screen characters, Pacey Witter and Joey Potter, were just beginning their arc. In Happy Hours, they play former sweethearts who cross paths years after their relationship ended without closure and must decide whether to rekindle their romance.
Happy Hours is the first installment in an ambitious romantic drama trilogy written and directed by Holmes, marking her biggest directorial project to date. The film also stars Mary-Louise Parker, Joe Tippett, and Constance Wu. Holmes has previously directed Rare Objects (2021) and Alone Together (2022), both romantic dramas, but this marks her largest-scale production and her return to acting in a lead role.
The premiere comes after months of anticipation from Dawson’s Creek fans, who have long hoped to see the two leads reunite on screen. Holmes revealed that she wrote the project specifically with Jackson in mind, making the casting a natural fit. The film’s focus on New York City as a setting also resonated with both actors—they described it as a “love letter” to the city during a time of high energy in the metropolis.
Sources
- Page Six — Joshua Jackson’s quotes about his relationship with Holmes, his praise for her directing, and Holmes’ comments about the reunion at the Tribeca premiere
- Tribeca Film Festival — Official description of Happy Hours as a NYC romantic drama about two former lovers reunited years after their relationship ended without closure
- Wikipedia — Confirmation that Happy Hours is a 2026 romantic dramedy written and directed by Katie Holmes, premiering at Tribeca on June 6, 2026
- People.com — Details on Holmes and Jackson’s dating history from 1998 to 1999 during Dawson’s Creek
- E! News — Confirmation that Jackson and Holmes dated for a year during the first season of Dawson’s Creek and details on the film’s premise
