Dawson’s Creek Icons Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes Steal the Spotlight at Star-Studded NYC Gala

Pacey and Joey on a New York red carpet? Not a reboot, but close enough to scramble your teen TV brain. Joshua Jackson and Katie Holmes popped up together in Manhattan, and the internet promptly lost its composure — for understandable reasons.

The reunion, the setting, the looks

• When and where: Tuesday, April 14, at the David Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center for the gala screening of the film 'Brunello: The Gracious Visionary'.
• The reason you care: Jackson, 47, and Holmes, 47, played Pacey Witter and Joey Potter on WB staple 'Dawson's Creek' from 1998 to 2003 — aka one of TV's most formative love triangles.
• His outfit: Grey slacks, white shirt, grey bow tie, and a merlot-colored jacket instead of a matching suit coat. Clean, slightly off-template, worked.
• Her outfit: Silver, sparkly maxi skirt with a crisp white button-down worn a touch off the shoulder — enough to show one strap that looked like a bra strap — plus a black clutch. Sexy, polished, and very New York gala.
• The photo moments: Solo red carpet shots first, then together. In one pic he looked over at her while she laughed back; in another they linked arms and smiled for the cameras. It was friendly, warm, and extremely effective nostalgia bait.

Why this hit harder than your average throwback

This is their first public reunion since the February 11 death of their 'Dawson's Creek' costar James Van Der Beek, who died at 48 after a battle with colorectal cancer. Both Jackson and Holmes posted tributes in the days and weeks after.

Holmes shared a handwritten note on February 12, remembering him for bravery, compassion, selflessness, and strength — and for the way he treated life like an art form. She also called out the life he built off screen: a loving marriage and six children. She mourned his absence while being grateful for his impact.

Jackson spoke about Van Der Beek on March 10 during an appearance on Today, reflecting on how that early career period shaped them both. He emphasized that, beyond the show, Van Der Beek became the kind of grounded, faith-driven person who faced the impossible with grace — a devoted partner and father — and acknowledged the enormity of the loss for his family.

And yes, they really are working together again

Almost a year before this New York sighting, the two reunited in July 2025 to start filming 'Happy Hours', a planned trilogy where they once again play love interests. Jackson talked about it on Today in March and made it sound as good as fans are hoping it is.

'She’s a lifelong friend now. And for us to get to go back and be able to do this again and honestly for her to create that space for us, was kind of magical.'

Bottom line

No, they were not back in Capeside. But a red carpet link-up, coordinated glam, and those easy smiles? For fans who grew up with them, this was catnip — and a reminder that their on-and-off-screen history still lands, especially in a year marked by loss and a long-awaited on-screen reunion to come.