A Star is Grown

Teen Movie Line
By Lauren Stevens

JOSHUA JACKSON
GOT NOTICED: 13
MADE TRANSITION: 19

CHILD STARDOM: Joshua already had a few commercials under his belt when at 13 he landed a key role as the younger Peter Berg in Crooked Hearts. The following year, he got his break in The Mighty Ducks. The friendly seal drama Andre and the two sequels to Ducks increased his visibility in Hollywood, but Joshua was no Macaulay Culkin--and that turned out to be a good thing.

ADULT STARDOM: Though he had a bit part in Scream 2, Joshua didn't become famous as an older actor until age 19, when he took the role of Pacey on "Dawson's Creek." Because he hadn't been the star of any of the hits he'd made as a child, he was mistakenly called an overnight success.

MEGASTARDOM: When "Dawson's" premiered in 1998, James Van Der Beek was the big kahuna of the show. Now, three years later, Joshua has stolen the series' spotlight. Filmwise, Joshua looked smart for taking small parts in two hits--Urban Legend and Cruel Intentions--that gave him the chance to show some range. The Skulls and Gossip did little to improve his star power. Whatever his failings or successes, however, Joshua has experienced a steady climb in the business. His next film projects include the drama The Safety of Objects, in which he'll costar with Glenn Close, and Lone Star State of Mind, with model-turned-actress James King.

FAMOUS QUOTE: "The Skulls is the first movie in which I play an adult, or almost an adult, and that is a turning point for me as an actor. Depending on what happens, I can look at the movie as 'Well, that was a lucky thing to have done' or as 'Wow, that acting thing was fun, but unfortunately now I'll be working at Burger King for the next 10 years and hoping I make district manager.'"