‘Dawson’s Creek’ Star Joshua Jackson Reveals the Workout Routine He Swears By at 47 (Exclusive)

At 47, the former Dawson's Creek and The Mighty Ducks star, Joshua Jackson, says that staying in shape doesn't involve shortcuts. He tells Men's Journal that boxing workouts and Pilates have become a major part of how he stays fit. “You just have to do the work,” Jackson said.

The beloved actor also discussed reuniting with Katie Holmes onscreen for the first time in years and his role in an upcoming HBO series, How to Survive Without Me, which will co-star Kaley Cuoco and Ray Romano.

Joshua Jackson Reveals the Workout Routine That Keeps Him Fit at 47

Men’s Journal: What kind of routine do you have to stay in shape?

Joshua Jackson: Blood transfusions, and I only eat on the floor. (Laughs) No. I am way more conscientious about what I eat now at 47 than I was earlier in my life. And I've always thankfully been a fairly active person. I enjoy moving my body. So that has kept me going.

But, on the specifics, I box a lot, a couple of times a week at least. In the last several years, I've started doing Pilates because I'm not very flexible. And it turns out that's really bad as you get older. Yeah, that does not work out well, so I'm just way more conscientious.

On the medical side, tying back into the getbodychecked.com campaign, I'm more proactive than I've ever been about being in conversation with my doctor. Like, “Hey. Do I feel good right now? Will I feel good 10 years from now? How can I be taking care of myself? What are the steps that I can take?”

But I don't have a miracle pill to sell you. You just have to do the work.

Joshua Jackson Says Working With Katie Holmes Again For 'Happy Hours' Felt Like a 'Homecoming'

Men’s Journal: I have to ask you about reuniting with Katie Holmes for the upcoming movie Happy Hours. What should fans expect? As somebody who has watched all of Dawson's Creek more than once. Is it going to be a bit of a full-circle moment for fans like me? Something completely different? What's the feel?

Joshua Jackson: It won't be a full circle moment inasmuch as it's a continuation. I don't know. I mean, it's a love story. So, I guess in that way, it's similar to Dawson's Creek. Kate wants to tell a love story in three parts. So we made the first part, which is the easy part, falling in love.

Hopefully, what you'll get is two actors who still have pretty good chemistry together, really enjoying themselves on camera. Because in some ways it was like a homecoming. To get a chance, we haven't worked together since back then. To get a chance to be on camera again and work with her now as a director, writer, and producer, it was pretty magical. We shot it last summer. I had such a good time with her.

I don't know that it's a full circle for Dawson's Creek because it doesn't really touch on any of the pieces of that story. But, since it's an opportunity for the two of us to fall in love on camera again. In that way it is.

Men’s Journal: Is the idea for it to be something akin to the Before movie trilogy in the sense that it showcases the different eras of a relationship?

Joshua Jackson: Yeah, it will be... So they're not as chronologically separate as the Before movies. Yes, it is conceptually very similar, but the time is compressed. So, it's more likely you'll follow chapter one and then fast follow chapter two and fast follow... There'll be a little gap for chapter three. But someone's got to finance chapters two and three, so we'll see.

Joshua Jackson Shares New Details About HBO’s ‘How to Survive Without Me’

Men’s Journal: I also wanted to ask you about your HBO project you're working on with Ray Romano and Kaley Cuoco, How to Survive Without Me. Do you have any updates about that?

Joshua Jackson: Well, only that they keep on adding all these amazing cast members. So, I keep on getting bumped down the coolness factor of my own cast. (Laughs)

It's hard to pitch a TV show like that because the story is basic, and what's basic about it is what makes it beautiful. It is the story of a family when all the kids have grown up, and what are the ties that actually bind them together when they’re adults and not all in the same house together. And there are pieces of it that are really deeply personal to Greg Berlanti, who is one of the writers. And I think for him, it's telling a portion of the story of his own relationship with his own mother and with his own family. Do you have siblings?

Men’s Journal: Yes.

Joshua Jackson: I have a little sister and two older half-brothers that I wasn't raised with. And we all became family when we were adults. So, we had to be really conscientious about the ties that bind us together. I grew up with my sister. But with my brothers, we didn't have that tie. So, we had to choose each other as family. The HBO show will focus on those relationships a lot over time. Because man, you love those folks and, God damn, you want to strangle them sometimes. And they want to strangle you, too. It's a simple story, and I think for Greg, a very personal story. And it's something that we can all relate to because we've all been in a family for better and for worse.