5 Red Flags Joshua Jackson & Jodie Turner-Smith's Marriage Wouldn't Last
The list of celebs who've called it quits in 2023 is getting uncomfortably long. Unfortunately, Joshua Jackson and his wife, Jodie Turner-Smith, who married in August 2019, are the latest Hollywood couple who've decided that they'd rather live life apart. According to TMZ, Turner-Smith recently filed to divorce the "Dawson's Creek" star due to irreconcilable differences. The actor also petitioned the court to deny either party the right to pursue spousal support. Child support arrangements weren't specified, but Turner-Smith is seeking to share custody of her only child with Jackson. According to court documents, they separated on September 13.
The "Murder Mystery 2" star posted a cryptic message about love on Instagram that same day. "Love is not some lofty unattainable thing. Love is a gesture, a look, an intention," posted Turner-Smith. "Love is community. Love is showing up. Thank you for all those that showed up for me this week in New York — in spirit and in flesh." However, days earlier, the couple was definitely in celebration mode for her birthday on September 7, which makes one wonder: what could have possibly gone wrong? Unfortunately, there were several signs that pointed to an eventual breakup.
Joshua Jackson ruined Jodie Turner Smith's proposal story
Jodie Turner-Smith was the one who proposed to Joshua Jackson. But her decision to push back against societal traditions isn't a red flag. It's more so the fact that Jackson, who revealed the news to Jimmy Fallon in 2021, seemed less than enthused as he walked down memory lane.
During the interview, Jackson shared how Turner-Smith had worn a shirt with his "Dawson's Creek" character on it then transitioned into super awkward commentary of the moment he knew he was ready for marriage. "I knew the moment [Jodie] asked me," Jackson said, garnering muted chuckles from the audience (via ET Canada). And though he later revealed that marrying her was one of the best choices in life, it didn't negate the awkward energy flowing through the interview.
Unfortunately, people noticed Jackson's uninspired response, which definitely set Turner-Smith up to field a ton of unfair criticism — some of it racist in nature. Things got so ugly that Jackson had to double back and defend her during an interview with Refinery 29. "I accidentally threw my wife under the bus because that story was told quickly and it didn't give the full context and holy Jesus, the internet is racist and misogynist," said Jackson. He then revealed that, though Turner-Smith did propose to him, he also later proposed to her, too. Jackson also spoke out against those people who were mad that his wife decided to propose in the first place.
Joshua has lax views on infidelity
This isn't the only time Joshua Jackson made some questionable comments about relationships. In April 2023, during an interview with The Sunday Times, Jackson shared some pretty eye-opening thoughts about cheating. "I think an affair can be forgiven," Jackson revealed during the interview. "We're all grown-ups. No one wants to be cheated on and there is massive repair to be done. Affairs aren't about the partner, they're about the person who has transgressed. It's not purely about the sex. There's a deeper violation." To be fair, Jackson didn't randomly blurt out his casual feelings about cheating — he was asked due to his role in the "Fatal Attraction" reboot, which revolves around a scandalous affair. But he also revealed that had he and Jodie Turner-Smith met five years earlier, they likely wouldn't have married because he wasn't ready.
Nearly a decade earlier, when promoting his role in "The Affair," Jackson seemed to excuse the central characters' destructive affair because it was made in the name of love. "Because as they make these choices, both positive and negative...the subside of every negative choice they're making is that it's for love, which is quite a powerful statement," shared Jackson with Just Jared. "They are making these seemingly destructive choices for something that is so powerful they can't deny it." Granted, this was long before he met Turner-Smith and he was talking about a television show. Still, his perspective is interesting.
Joshua Jackson reportedly cheated on Jodie Turner-Smith
Unfortunately, it was reported that Joshua Jackson possibly cheated on Jodie-Turner Smith. Although the couple first met in 2018 and married about a year later in August 2019, the Daily Mail published photos and videos of Jackson kissing a mystery woman in a parking lot in June of that year. According to the outlet, Jackson and the unidentified woman seemed to be lost in the moment as they kissed next to their car. The publication also date-stamped the photos, claiming they were captured the same week of Jackson's 41st birthday.
Neither Jackson nor Turner-Smith has ever addressed these photos, and they did go on to marry, regardless. However, it certainly makes you wonder what happened during the first stage of their romance. Of course, it's also possible that the couple was on a private break that fans never knew about. But still, it's definitely not an ideal timeline. According to Page Six, the couple seemed to be on great terms at his birthday bash, a few days before Daily Mail posted its findings, which makes things even more confusing.
Joshua and Jodie moved at lightning speed
Although it feels like Joshua Jackson and Jodie Turner-Smith have been together for a lifetime, they only met in 2018, when the pair stumbled onto each other's radar at Usher's 40th birthday party. In 2021, Turner-Smith revealed that the couple then had a one-night stand. "When I first met my husband, we had a one-night stand," shared Turner-Smith (via People). "We're in a two, three-year one-night stand now." Roughly two years after their casual fling, Jackson and Turner-Smith were married with a newborn baby.
While quick relationships have worked for some celebs, rushing into marriage and parenthood could be one cause for their split. After news of their divorce broke, a source who spoke with ET revealed that their bond had become strained. "From an outside perspective, things looked great for a while," shared the source. "But privately, they were slowly growing apart." A different source blamed their split on their busy acting careers. "Jodie and Joshua's hectic work schedules started to weigh on their relationship starting over a year ago, when they were both filming projects and not always in the same place," they said. And though they reportedly attempted to work things out, it seems they were unable to compensate for their individual needs.
Jodie Turner-Smith had to adjust to Joshua's level of fame
Jodie Turner-Smith has made impressive career strides over the past five years, but Joshua Jackson was undoubtedly the bigger star when they first became involved. And it took a while for Turner-Smith to adjust to the media and the public's intense interest in their relationship, which was largely fueled by Jackson's fame. "When I came onto the scene I was secretly married and I was secretly pregnant," Turner-Smith shared during her 2022 Bustle interview. "And that was a story for people. I think a lot of it was because I was married to a white person. And I was married to a white person who has been in the public eye for decades and you know, has been someone that the tabloids like to talk about." She continued, "I mean, it was like literally the most vulnerable time."
Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time that Turner-Smith discussed feeling uncomfortable being the center of attention. In March of 2023, the actor spoke with Elle and revealed that her first Met Gala was a nerve-wracking experience. "When I was doing the Met Gala for the first time, I remember thinking, 'Oh my God, I don't ever want to do this.' I didn't feel good." Fortunately, Jackson was there to reassure her that she deserved her spot on the red carpet — which makes their current relationship status even more devastating.