Joshua Jackson Wants to Break Free from His Dark On-Screen Characters

Joshua Jackson is yearning for an emotional palate cleanser. In the last three years, the versatile actor has sailed through a series of intense characters. Each of them embodying everything from the turmoil of a man’s domestic life to chilling killers. Jackson has impressively managed to keep his audience at the edge of their seats while performing the medley of roles.

One of his recent portrayals is Dan Gallagher in the Paramount+ series adaptation of the classic 1987 film, Fatal Attraction. This role, which was originally brought to life by the legendary Michael Douglas, sees Jackson playing an adulterer and accused murderer. In addition to this, his role as a husband and father grappling with domestic chaos in Little Fires Everywhere, and a sinister surgeon in Dr. Death, have added to a heavy emotional workload for the actor​​.

The actor shared during an interview with THR.

“I don’t know what’s going on with me. I’m shooting a romance right now; I needed a love story after [Dr. Death‘s] Christopher Duntsch and Fatal Attraction. I needed to hold hands and make goo-goo eyes at somebody.”

Drenched in the shadows of these dark characters, Jackson is eager to embrace the light. With a sense of jest, he expressed his confusion over the characters he’s played lately and emphasized his need to take a break. He yearns for a character that allows him to hold hands and exchange tender glances, a stark contrast to the sinister and troubled roles that have lately been in his artistic repertoire​​.

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Jackson’s Heartfelt Foray into Romance

And so, as a man in search of romance, both on-screen and in his soul, Jackson embarked on a new venture. He found himself sharing the screen with the talented Lauren Ridloff in a romantic drama series produced by Starz. The project has yet to receive its official title. Jackson will also executive produce the creation of the celebrated Ava DuVernay.

However, this heartwarming endeavor has temporarily hit a pause due to the writers’ strike, having started filming in March and halted in mid-May. The series promises a captivating love affair between two polar opposites whose worlds collide in a whirlwind romance that shakes the ground beneath not only their feet but also the lives of those around them​​.

Jackson’s yearning for a lighter role is also deeply personal. He acknowledges that playing dark characters, especially fathers, has taken a toll on him emotionally. This is particularly because Jackson, a father himself to a three-year-old daughter, finds that his personal experiences and emotions as a parent have made these roles more intense and impactful. This real-life context has added layers of complexity to his portrayal of fathers in troubled circumstances​​.

Joshua Jackson now finds himself in a crossroads. His artistic journey has been recently fraught with dark and intense characters. Now, it left him craving the tenderness and warmth of romance. The yearnings of the versatile actor, is not just professional. It is also personal as sometimes, his roles mirror the intensity of real-life emotions. The upcoming series is not just a departure from the actor’s recent roles. It’s also a much-needed respite for his soul.