Joshua Jackson and Simone Ashley Spotted Laughing on NYC Stroll While Filming Big Projects
Jaden Patel here. Let’s all take a moment to pretend we’re surprised that two attractive actors were seen enjoying a perfectly ordinary afternoon in New York City.
Joshua Jackson and Simone Ashley were photographed walking together in Manhattan on August 9, each taking a rare off-day from high-profile film shoots. Jackson, 47, currently in town to film Happy Hours with former Dawson’s Creek co-star Katie Holmes, kept things low-key in a white T-shirt, dark pants, and Nike sneakers. Simone Ashley, 30, who is filming The Devil Wears Prada 2 starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt, opted for a light blue lacy camisole, a gray patterned skirt, white running shoes, and a neon green Prada bag that announced itself louder than any small talk.
Photographs show the pair sharing a laugh and engaging in what appeared to be a lively conversation during their stroll. It was an amiable, off-duty moment between two working actors whose schedules happen to overlap in the same city. Fans and paparazzi got what they wanted: a casually chic snapshot of two stars not on camera but comfortably in public view.
This isn’t the first time Jackson and Ashley have crossed paths. They were both photographed at a BAFTA party in London back in January 2020, when Jackson was still married to model Jodie Turner-Smith. That marriage ended publicly last year when Turner-Smith filed for divorce in October 2023, and sources later confirmed the pair reached a settlement earlier in 2024. Jackson is a father to daughter Juno, who is now five.
Ashley, meanwhile, has been navigating the post-relationship landscape in the open. She split from GP Ice Race CEO Constantin “Tino” Klein in January after two years of dating, and publicly declared she had entered a “single era” in February during an interview on BBC’s Woman’s Hour. She told People magazine in March that the phase was about self-growth, seeking someone confident and open-hearted—apparently a tall order in between movie premieres and costume fittings.
Both actors are riding career-high waves. Jackson’s Happy Hours is a project that reunites him with Katie Holmes, which, if nothing else, guarantees tabloid interest given their Dawson’s Creek history. Ashley’s involvement in the much-anticipated Devil Wears Prada sequel places her alongside industry heavyweights Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, and Emily Blunt, a lineup that reads like a masterclass in star power.
While tabloids delight in speculating about on-set romances and off-duty flirtations, the evidence here is simple: two actors, overlapping work locations, and a friendly public outing. No confirmable romance, no dinner receipts, no quotes about “exclusive” relationships—just a stroll and some shared laughter. Still, in celebrity terms, shared laughter equals chemistry until proven otherwise.
Expect fans to analyze every future encounter. Will there be more strolls, a joint coffee run, or a scripted meet-cute in an indie-cafe montage? Possibly. More likely, both will continue to promote their projects and keep personal lives measuredly private. For now, they gave New York a breezy, photogenic moment and the internet a new thread to follow.
Closing thought: two actors enjoying daylight without a press release—weirdly wholesome and mildly suspicious, which is the exact blend pop culture enjoys.
Tune in next time for more polite small talk and public niceties among famous people.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, People, BBC Woman’s Hour
Attribution: Leigh Keily (Creative Commons)
