Jodie Turner-Smith is opening up publicly for the first time about her divorce from Joshua Jackson.
Speaking to The Times in a new interview published on Sunday, the 37-year-old actress shed light on the reason she filed for divorce from the 45-year-old Dawson’s Creek actor back in October 2023.
“Sometimes things we really want to work just don’t end up working,” said Turner-Smith, who shares 3-year-old daughter Juno Rose Diana Jackson with Jackson. “And that’s OK. The most important thing is that you choose what’s healthiest for you and your family and definitely your children.”
The Queen & Slim star offered up some relationship advice, saying everyone should take a moment every now and then to reassess and ask themselves if they’re truly living out their most authentic lives.
She added, “If the answer is no, then you have to make a move because I believe that there are visible scars from staying in places that are not good for us. And they don’t just affect us, they affect everybody around us.”
Of her relationship with Jackson, Turner-Smith said, “I don’t think it’s a failure.”
“We obviously had such a beautiful moment together,” she continued. “And now it’s time for a new moment for both of us. And how exciting! The bravest thing in the world is to recognize when something’s not working and to make a move, and I always want to set that kind of example for my daughter.”
She concluded: “The big takeaway is that this is about just as much love and joy as it has always been. This is only about taking a step forward into a better life for everybody involved.”
Turner-Smith and Jackson wed in December 2019, and a year later, they welcomed their daughter in April 2020. However, their love story came to an end in October 2023 when Turner-Smith filed for divorce after three years of marriage.
In court docs previously obtained by ET, the date of the former couple’s separation was listed as Sept. 13, 2023. Turner-Smith is seeking joint custody of their daughter and asking that no spousal support be awarded to either party. She is also requesting that attorney’s fees and costs to be paid by Jackson.
After the divorce filing, a source told ET that the pair’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.”
Since their split, Jackson has appeared to move on with Lupita Nyong’o. Just weeks after Turner-Smith filed for divorce, Jackson was spotted with 40-year-old Nyong’o at a Janelle Monáe concert in Los Angeles. Two months later, the pair were seen holding hands during a romantic stroll near their Autocamp resort in Joshua Tree, California.
A source told ET at the time, “Joshua and Lupita are enjoying spending time together. Things are still new, but they have a fun and flirtatious vibe with each other. Their friends are not surprised that they’ve connected.”
Meanwhile, in October 2023, Turner-Smith attended the Casamigos’ Halloween Party in Los Angeles arm-in-arm with a mystery man.
As for how Turner-Smith feels about her ex’s rumored new romance, a source told ET in December that the model and actress is focused on her work and “being the best mom she can be.”
“Jodie isn’t giving Joshua’s dating life too much attention,” the source shared. “She’s doing great and has been surrounding herself with people who are loyal and love her. She has always had a positive, fun energy and is continuing to. She’s focused on work and being the best mom she can be.”
RELATED CONTENT:
