In a letter to International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA), Katie Holmes writes: "For years I have spent some time sitting in front of the television from 7:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. listening intently to John Tesh and Mary Hart inform me about which star was filming what new movie, who was dating who, and who was the rising new actor or actress. Hollywood and its numerous success stories seemed extremely far away and definitely from a world that I would never come into contact with."; A combination of natural beauty, innate talent, and charisma has helped Katie Holmes become one of the success stories she heard about on her TV. Already, at the age of 19, she is one of the most buzzed about young actresses in Hollywood today. She is best known for her role as the sarcastic, lovelorn tomboy Joey Potter, best friend of Dawson Leery on the WB's hit teen drama "Dawson's Creek." Katie can also be seen as Rachel in this summer's teen thriller "Disturbing Behavior," which is directed by David Nutter.  She has roles in two upcoming movies, "Killing Mrs. Tingle" (written/directed by Kevin Williamson, tentative release date: February 1999), in which she is the lead, and "Go"(directed by Douglas Liman, tentative release date: December 1998).

Katie got her start as an actress in theater productions at her high school, Notre Dame Academy, an all-girls Catholic school in her hometown of Toledo, OH.  She comes from a "super-athletic" family, the youngest of three sisters and one brother, and she admits that despite her best efforts she was "horrible" at sports.  Katie found her niche in theater, although, she never dreamed she could make it professionally as an actress because of her Midwest roots.
However, in July 1995 she attended IMTA's annual "Hooray for Hollywood" Convention in New York City, where she caught the eye of talent manager Al Onorato, who encouraged her to come to Los Angeles for television's pilot season. Six months later, in LA, she immediately won a small role in Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm," a critically acclaimed art house film based on the novel by the same name by Rick Moody. Shortly after this, Katie was offered the part of Buffy Summers in the WB's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." However she declined in order to complete her high school education.

In fact, she followed up her big screen debut in "The Ice Storm" with a part as Lola in her school's production of "Damn Yankees." As the oft-repeated tale goes, this nearly cost her the role of Joey Potter, as she refused to ditch her classmates' on opening night for the scheduled
"Dawson's Creek" audition. However, DC creator and writer Kevin Williamson was so impressed by her audition tape, made in her basement with her mother playing Dawson, that he was willing to reschedule.  In the September 1998 YM, Kevin Williamson, described his first encounter with Katie this way, "I'll never forget the day when, after weeks of searching for the right actress to play the virtuoso role of Joey, we got [Katie's audition] tape. After viewing it everyone in the room was speechless."

Katie graduated from Notre Dame Academy in June of 1997 and began filming "Dawson's Creek" later that summer. She has deferred admission to Columbia University. She currently lives in Wilmington, NC, where she has just bought a house. Katie has certainly come a long way from dreaming about Hollywood in front of her TV set, and it is a safe bet that she has an exciting, successful, and interesting career ahead of her. As Katie herself remarked in A Fanatic's Guide to Dawson's Creek, "It's overwhelming, yesterday I was just your average kid from Toledo. Now I have my own web site."

STATS

Date of Birth: December 18, 1978
Place of Birth: Toledo, OH
Father: Marty Holmes, Lawyer
Mother: Kathleen Holmes, Homemaker
Height: 5'8''
Weight: 108 lbs.
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Brown

HONORS

EW's 1998 "It" List Seventeen's "Ten Most Beautiful People"- June 1998 Teen People's "21 Under 21" Issue-June 1998 E! Online's "Sizzling Sixteen '98"

KATIE TRIVIA

Favorite Movies: "My Best Friend's Wedding"
"Pretty in Pink"
"Sixteen Candles"

1st Movie She Ever Saw: "ET" at a drive-in

Favorite TV shows: "Party of Five" "ER"

Favorite Actors/Actresses: Tom Hanks
Meg Ryan
Jodie Foster

Favorite Directors: Woody Allen
Ron Howard
Oliver Stone

Favorite Musicians: Sarah McLachlan
Tracy Chapman
Frank Sinatra
Jewel
The Dave Matthews Band
Natalie Merchant

Favorite Books: David Guterson: "Snow Falling on Cedars"
Kate Chopin: "The Awakening"

Favorite Activities: Dancing
Running
Watching movies
Reading
Listening to music

Favorite Foods: Jelly Bellies
Cookie dough
Buttered popcorn
Veggie burgers
Onion rings
 
Favorite Drinks: Vanilla latte
Diet coke

Fantasy Role: "I'd like to do some lush, romantic period piece where I get to wear gorgeous costumes. That would be really sexy." (A Fanatic's Guide to Dawson's Creek)

Fantasy Date: Leonardo DiCaprio

Thoughts On Fans: "It's flattering when 13 year olds come up to me. I was the same way. I guess I still. But it's kind of scary when other 19 year olds look at me funny because they've seen me on TV. I want to say, 'I'm normal. I'll be your friend. Be my friend.'" (New York Daily News, 8/6/98)

KATIE ON HER SIMILARITIES TO JOEY:

"Joey's full of emotions. I'm like her in that we both say what we feel, but Joey goes a little further. I wouldn't say a lot of the things she says." (E!Online)

"I'm actually working on becoming more like my character. She's so smart and strong and witty." (US Magazine)

"Joey isn't the girl who gets all the guys. I wasn't like that, either, so I can relate." (Seventeen)

"I'm a small-town girl just like Joey I was a little bit of a tomboy and also the youngest in my family, so I thought I knew everything Like Joey I made a lot of mistakes, but fortunately I haven't had the tragedy that she's experienced in her life." (Columbia TriStar)

DC MEMBERS NOTABLE QUOTES ON KATIE:

"You could take her picture in the dark and she'd still look good." (Joshua Jackson, Seventeen)

"She's very sweet and unassuming. I don't think she knows how beautiful she is." (James Van Der Beek, People)

"To meet her is to instantly fall under her spell. She is that rare jewel, the real deal. In one word: hypnotic, smart, funny, sweet, shy, boisterous, sneaky, talented, pretty, soulful, sleek, sophisticated, innocent, comical, womanly, childish, caring, gracious, dependable, nurturing, protective, generousally I could go on." (Kevin Williamson, YM)