Joshua Jackson believes ‘an affair can be forgiven’ as he discusses marriage… four years after wedding Jodie Turner-Smith

Joshua Jackson expressed his belief that extra-marital affairs can be ‘forgiven’ during an interview with the Sunday Times.

The 44-year-old actor, who has a daughter named Janie, aged three, with wife Jodie Turner-Smith, has explored infidelity in two of his major projects, The Affair, as well as the television adaptation of Fatal Attraction.

The actor, who was recently featured in the second program’s trailer, said he believes that someone straying in a relationship doesn’t necessarily spell the end of one, though there would be a ‘massive repair’ to achieve.

He told the magazine: ‘I think an affair can be forgiven. We’re all grown-ups. No one wants to be cheated on and there is massive repair to be done.’

Jackson went on to express that he felt as if infidelity was mainly an issue on the part of unfaithful individuals.

‘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.’ 

The actor, who dated Diane Kruger for 10 years until 2016, thinks meeting Jodie in 2018 was the ‘right moment’ in his life as he believes if they had met when he was younger, they would have just had a ‘torrid affair.’

Asked what made him settle down with the White Noise actress, he said: ‘Partially it’s age. I’m old enough to be able to do this. Partially it’s about finding somebody in the right moment of life.’

Jackson went on to state that, in the past, he likely would have been emotionally unprepared to begin a relationship with Smith. 

‘If we had met five years earlier we probably would have had a torrid affair, but all the rest of this stuff, I was just not ready. I didn’t think I ever wanted to get married,’ he said.

The couple met through a mutual friend and initially insisted their romance was just ‘casual’ even though their actions said differently.

Joshua said: ‘In the beginning we did this dance with each other like, “Oh, this is casual.” Except that we’d spend every moment together and find reasons to be in other cities together at the same time.’

The 36-year-old actress proposed during a New Year’s Eve holiday in Nicaragua, and the former ‘Dawson’s Creek’ actor ‘instinctively’ said yes.

Caveat: The actor, who was recently featured in the second program’s trailer , said he believes that someone straying in a relationship doesn’t necessarily spell the end of one, though there would be a ‘massive repair’ to achieve; he is seen with his wife Jodie Turner-Smith in 2022

On screen: The 44-year-old actor, who has a daughter named Janie, aged three, with wife Jodie Turner-Smith, has explored infidelity in two of his major projects, The Affair, and now the TV adaptation of Fatal Attraction

He recalled: ‘I don’t know if she planned it or if it was a spur-of-the-moment thing, but out popped a proposal I was not expecting and the organic and instinctive answer was yes.

The actor went on to state: ‘Six months later she was pregnant and we were on our way.’

Jackson concluded by remarking that he had grown to embrace his roles as a husband and father.

‘Now we have this beautiful baby who is literally the manifestation of that love. It is impossible for me to look into the face of my child without feeling love for my wife. [Fatherhood] has changed me in every single possible way,’ he said.

A changed man: Jackson concluded by remarking that he had grown to embrace his roles as a husband and father; he is seen with Turner-Smith and their child in 2021