The actor was joined by Matt Bomer to present the Governors Award to Greg Berlanti, laughing as Paula Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait” played.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 15: (L-R) Matt Bomer and Joshua Jackson speak onstage during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage) WireImage
You’d think Joshua Jackson would be used to hearing Paula Cole‘s “I Don’t Want to Wait” by now, after the 1997 song opened his teen drama series Dawson’s Creek for six seasons on WB in the late ’90s and early 2000s. But he was still caught off-guard Sunday night (Sept. 15) when he took the 2024 Emmys stage and the familiar strains of the No. 11-peaking Billboard Hot 100 hit played above him.
Jackson was joined by Matt Bomer to present the next award, and the minute the song played, the two actors broke out into laughter. “Ah yes, this song,” Jackson laughed when he reached the microphone.
It was an appropriate song for the moment because Jackson and Bomer were presenting Greg Berlanti with the Emmys’ Governors Award for his work in bringing LGBTQ+ representation to network television, including the first romantic gay male kiss on Dawson’s Creek in 2000. Berlanti’s first TV writing job was on Dawson’s Creek and he graduated to executive producer in season 3, overseeing the storylines of Jackson’s Pacey Witter and the rest of the Capeside, Massachusetts, gang.
Trending on Billboard
Emmys watchers immediately took to social media to celebrate the nostalgic TV moment and its Paula Cole soundtrack, with one X user writing: “Joshua Jackson immediately laughing at the Dawson’s Creek theme song lmaoooo.” Another viewer wrote: “Pacey laughing and shaking his head while walking out to ‘I don’t wanna wait’ and commenting ‘that song’ before giving the award to Greg Berlanti is iconic #Emmys.”
Watch the moment below and find a roundup of fan reaction.
Joshua Jackson not knowing it was gonna be the Dawson’s Creek theme 😂😂😂 #Emmys
— i z z y || #SaveMyLadyJane (@quietn0w) September 16, 2024
Joshua Jackson immediately laughing at the Dawson’s Creek theme song lmaoooo
— hot mess express 💖💜💙 (@FANGIRLOVERLOAD) September 16, 2024
The Dawson’s Creek theme song playing when Joshua Jackson walks out to present at the #Emmys is everything to me
— sarah k (@sarahh_ck) September 16, 2024
Joshua Jackson’s face at the Dawson’s Creek theme was perfection. 😂 #Emmys
— Rainydayhues (@rainydayhues) September 16, 2024
joshua jackson’s reaction to the paula cole song was so adorable
— Mar M (@whistle_notes) September 16, 2024
Pacey laughing and shaking his head while walking out to “I don’t wanna wait” and commenting “that song” before giving the award to Greg Berlanti is iconic #Emmys
— 💫Rosh (@rosh5) September 16, 2024
