Born and raised in Toledo,Ohio,Holmes started acting in theater productions in high school but didn't think she had a shot at stardom living in the midwest.Fate intervened when she was attending a national modeling and talent convention in New York and she met a talent manager who encouraged her to come to Los Angeles for television's pilot season. When the next pilot season came up during her senior year of high school Holmes opted to skip coming out to Los Angeles to perform in her school's production of "Damn Yankees" as Lola.For the "Dawson's Creek" audition,she sent in a videotape from Toledo and when the call came back conflicted with her play's opening night she declined rather than let down her classmates.Fortunately,the producers were able to reschedule her audition and she landed the series regular role of Joey Potter. The youngest of five,Holmes got into acting only two years ago.While a junior,she landed a role in Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm."For now,she has put off admission to Columbia University.While on hiatus from the show she is filming a thriller "Disturbing Behavior."