Jodie Turner-Smith doesn’t see her marriage to Joshua Jackson as “a failure” despite filing for divorce.
“Sometimes things we really want to work just don’t end up working,” Turner-Smith, 37, shared during an interview with the U.K.’s The Times, published on Sunday, February 25. “And that’s OK. The most important thing is that you choose what’s healthiest for you and your family and definitely your children.”
She continued, “There are so many different moments in our life where we look at ourselves and say, ‘Who am I and am I being true to that?’ 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.”
Turner-Smith was married to Jackson, 45, for four years before Us Weekly confirmed in October 2023 that she had filed for divorce. Us broke the news in December 2019 that the twosome quietly tied the knot, and they welcomed a daughter one year later.
“We obviously had such a beautiful moment together. And now it’s time for a new moment for both of us. And how exciting!” Turner-Smith said during the same interview. “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.”
While she didn’t offer specifics about where she stands with Jackson now, Turner-Smith said there’s “just as much love and joy as it has always been” for the sake of their 3-year-old child.
“This is only about taking a step forward into a better life for everybody involved,” she concluded.
Turner-Smith cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the pair’s split in her divorce filing, listing their separation date as September 13, 2023. Jackson subsequently filed a response, which was obtained by Us in November 2023, and listed their date of separation as September 30, 2023.
Both actors have requested to share joint legal and physical custody of their daughter.
Following news of the duo’s divorce, a source exclusively told Us that Jackson was “caught off guard” by Turner-Smith’s filing.
“They had their issues, as many couples do — especially two busy actors who are also juggling a child,” the insider shared in October 2023. “Joshua obviously didn’t realize it was this bad, that Jodie was this unhappy.”
In the wake of their breakup, Turner-Smith appears to be living her best life. The actress shared photos from her New Year’s celebration with her daughter on January 2, revealing that they went on vacation to ring in 2024.
Earlier this month, Turner-Smith had “the best Valentine’s yet” with her little one.
“Thank you so much, you know who you are !!! About last night,” she captioned a series of photos from the sweet celebration. A second post, which included a photo with her daughter, was captioned, “To the women in my life who love me deeply and profoundly, I’m so grateful for you!!!!!!”
Jackson, meanwhile, has been linked to Lupita Nyong’o after the twosome were spotted together at a concert in October 2023.
