So, picture this: Joshua Jackson, aka the dude you remember from Fringe (or more likely as Pacey from Dawson’s Creek—let’s be real), is all suited up, prepping to present at the 2024 Emmys. And what happens? The Emmys decide to hit him right in the childhood feels with a musical ambush.
Jackson, now 46 and still somehow looking like he knows how to fix a boat, shared his tale of confusion and hilarity with The Hollywood Reporter. Apparently, things were going fine until the orchestra decided, “You know what would spice this moment up? Paula Cole’s ‘I Don’t Wanna Wait.’” Yes, that Dawson’s Creek theme song—the one that made your teenage heart cry and believe in bad haircuts.
So here’s the setup: Jackson and Matt Bomer (star of White Collar and professional “too-handsome-for-his-own-good” guy) are standing backstage, getting ready to present the Governor’s Award to Greg Berlanti. And according to Jackson, things were getting real sweaty. Not in a fun way—like, literal sweaty-palms, “how-do-I-human” panic.
“We were back there like, ‘Uh… so, how do we walk out and not look like malfunctioning robots?’” Jackson recalled. “Do we stroll? Do we swagger? Do we saunter? Is there a cool-but-chill middle ground, or is that just an urban myth?”
And then, boom.
Right as they take their first step towards the stage, Paula Cole’s voice starts wailing through the speakers. It’s like the universe whispered, “Let’s see how well Pacey can hold it together now.”
Jackson’s response? Total disbelief. “I’m thinking, ‘Is this real life? Am I actually walking into Dawson’s Creek again? Do I owe Kevin Williamson money? Did the Emmys plan this, or are they just trolling me for fun?’”
He couldn’t help but crack up right there. “That laugh was 100% me realizing that I just got ambushed by nostalgia,” Jackson admitted. “I was like, ‘Oh, okay, this is happening. We’re doing this.’”
Honestly, it’s probably the most relatable thing that’s ever happened at an awards show: when life sneaks up behind you, hits play on your teenage soundtrack, and there’s nothing you can do but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Even at the Emmys, Joshua Jackson learned the hard way—you can run from Dawson’s Creek, but you can never truly escape Paula Cole. 🎶
