Katie Holmes: The Real Reason You Don't Hear From Her Anymore
With hit productions including "Dawson's Creek," "First Daughter," and "Batman Begins" under her belt by the time she was in her mid-20s, Katie Holmes' future in Hollywood was looking brighter than ever in the 2000s. But while many expected her to be one of the foremost actors of her generation, the past two decades of Holmes' life have led her down a different path, and she's undergone a total transformation. Considering the early expectations for her career, there has been much confusion and speculation about what exactly happened to the actor, and while the public may feel disappointed on her behalf, Holmes seems to be content with the way her career and life have unfolded.
She told InStyle in 2020, "I have been in this business for quite some time ... You can get consumed by what people think, but suddenly you just decide to do things on your own terms. I feel like I'm finally figuring that out. I'm getting the projects I want made and just relaxing a little. I've been around for a long time, and I'm still here!" If Holmes' statement about her ongoing Hollywood career is news to you, there's a lot to catch up on in her world post-Rachel Dawes.
Katie Holmes left the Batman franchise in 2007 after marrying Tom Cruise
Katie Holmes' role as Rachel Dawes in Christopher Nolan's 2005 film "Batman Begins" is one of her most prestigious movie appearances to date — and her marriage to Tom Cruise is widely regarded as the single event that derailed her trajectory to superstardom. The pair made their debut as a couple in April 2005, and after just a few weeks of dating, Cruise announced that he and Holmes were engaged. By April of the following year, they welcomed their daughter Suri (who's gone through her own stunning transformation!), and in November 2006, they married in Italy.
As their relationship progressed, Holmes' rising star seemed to fall. She took a break from acting during her pregnancy and the first year or so of Suri's life, and in 2007, the "Dawson's Creek" alum announced that she wouldn't be returning to the "Batman" franchise. Holmes cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for her unexpected exit, but speculation ran amok that Cruise's influence was a major factor in the surprising decision. After walking away from her role as Bruce Wayne's girlfriend, Holmes reappeared on the silver screen in 2008's "Mad Money," which received lukewarm reviews, and in the aftermath, Holmes left Hollywood to pursue a new acting endeavor.
In 2008, Katie Holmes pivoted from Hollywood to Broadway
After she wrapped "Mad Money," Katie Holmes took a break from acting on the big screen to star on stage. While she was a theater kid in high school, the actor didn't break into professional theater until she made her Broadway debut in Arthur Miller's period drama, "All My Sons." Holmes' portrayal of Annie Deever in the 2008 play resulted in mostly positive reviews and a reputation as a multi-faceted actor who could deliver enthralling performances on stage and screen.
During the play's New York City tenure, Holmes told NPR, "I always wanted to do a Broadway play — since I was a little girl." She added, "I've been looking for something for years ... and I'm so happy and I feel so lucky because this play and this cast and this character — it's so exciting to me." Holmes also told the outlet the stage experience was invaluable to honing her craft, as she learned unique lessons and gained fresh insights that helped her develop as an actor in new ways.
Katie Holmes co-founded a fashion line in 2009
Performing on Broadway wasn't Katie Holmes' only new venture during her marriage to Tom Cruise — she also co-founded a fashion line in 2009 with her stylist and friend Jeanne Yang, called Holmes & Yang. In March of that year, the "First Daughter" star told Glamour she and Yang bonded over their childhood memories of their mothers sewing. Additionally, Holmes and Yang were both raising young daughters at the time, and they felt dissatisfied with the clothing options on the market for little girls. Holmes told the outlet, "We started about a year ago, sketching different things, trying to find comfortable clothing for our daughters that is also pretty and cute. We just started, and we've played around with doing things for women as well."
However, after five years in business, the two women decided to shut down their namesake label in March 2014. Holmes told Elle she loved being involved in the venture, but her prioritization of acting and motherhood prevented her from giving the fashion line "the time and attention it deserved." She added, "I remain passionate about the design aesthetic we created, and am so happy with what Jeanne and I accomplished."
After divorcing Tom Cruise in 2012, Katie Holmes relocated to NYC with her daughter
Katie Holmes' controversial relationship with Tom Cruise abruptly ended when she filed for divorce in June 2012, and to this day, neither she nor Cruise has revealed what led to their shocking split. Since the finalization of their divorce, Holmes' focus has been on raising their daughter — alone, notably — and continuing her acting career. She relocated to New York City with then-six-year-old Suri, which allowed her to return to Broadway to work while giving her daughter a stable routine.
During her 2020 interview with InStyle, Holmes revealed that she had wanted to move to New York City since her first visit as a teenager. Despite having a massive amount of attention on her in the aftermath of her divorce, the "Dawson's Creek" alum said she was able to find community and contentment in the city. Though it was an "intense" period, Holmes recalled, "So many people I didn't know became my friends and helped us out, and that's what I love about the city." She added, "The city has a lot to offer, and I use it."
Katie Holmes and Jamie Foxx are speculated to have started a relationship in 2013
In the aftermath of the global spectacle that was her relationship with Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes has kept her romantic life out of the spotlight. She's had several boyfriends since her divorce, but none of her relationships have been quite as low-key as her six-year romance with Jamie Foxx. The pair were first linked in October 2013 when they were spotted dancing together at a club. When questioned by Entertainment Tonight about a potential flame sparking between himself and Holmes, Foxx said, "[The rumors] are 100% not true."
Regardless of the status of their relationship then, it became clear that the two were romantically involved when they were seen holding hands in 2015. Neither Holmes nor Foxx confirmed they were a couple, but in 2017, they were again spotted multiple times throughout the year. In 2019, they posed for their first joint photo at the Met Gala — they even subtly coordinated outfits, with Foxx's dress shoes adorably matching Holme's deep-purple gown. Despite their relationship looking more serious than ever, the pair were confirmed to have split just a few weeks later.
In 2014, Katie Holmes starred in a highly-anticipated adaptation
Though she hasn't appeared in any "Batman Begins"-level hits since she parted with the franchise, Katie Holmes did return to Hollywood after she relocated to New York City and enjoyed another stint on Broadway in 2012. She was part of an ensemble cast in the 2014 film "Days and Nights," and the same year, she appeared in the highly-anticipated adaptation of "The Giver," in which Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges also starred.
Of her experience playing the role of emotion-void Mother, Holmes told Refinery29, "It was really challenging to play this character because, you know, she is a part of this society, and she's responsible for keeping the rules. And yet, her son is the one who's breaking all of that and experiencing something she doesn't know and can't advise him; can't really control." She added, "As an actor, it's hard to not show too much emotion."
In 2014, Katie Holmes also addressed criticism of her career post-divorce
Ever since she walked away from Christopher Nolan's "Batman" franchise, Katie Holmes has been criticized for letting her whirlwind romance with Tom Cruise derail her rise to movie-star status. When asked about the turn in her career during a 2014 Dujour interview, Holmes attributed motherhood to the change in her professional life: "I totally admire women who go back to work six weeks after giving birth, but when [Suri] was little, I was not ready," she said, adding that she experienced a lot of anxiety when her daughter was a baby and that she wasn't able to overcome her nerves and worries until Suri got older.
"The Giver" alum also shared that she went through a period of imposter syndrome early on in her career. "I'd be thinking, 'I have to get the job.' And even when I had the job, I was afraid that I was going to get fired, or I just had the mentality of, 'I need to be good enough,'" Holmes recalled. She said that time and experience have made her more comfortable on set and in her own head, explaining that "the more projects you do, the older you get, the more life experience you get, you start to understand storytelling better. So you're a little bit more confident going in."
Katie Holmes made her directorial debut in 2016
"All We Had," a 2016 mother-daughter drama, marked Katie Holmes' feature-length directorial debut. In the time since, she's directed two more movies, as well as an episode of "The Kennedys After Camelot." Speaking to Town & Country in February 2017, she revealed, "I've been acting for about 20 years now, and in the last few years I've become more confident and gotten more interested in storytelling as a whole. Also, I've been feeling inspired to put my point of view out there. It's scary, but the process of it is something I really love."
Aside from finding directing creatively fulfilling in ways acting isn't, the entertainment multi-hyphenate said directing also helps her meet her goals as a mother. Because she has the power to dictate the hours in which the production is shooting, she can easily make sure her schedule lines up with her daughter's routine. Holmes told the outlet, "My child is the most important person to me, and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now. It's very important that I'm present and she has a stable, innocent childhood." She added, "I feel so blessed to do what I do, but there's nothing in the world better than watching your child succeed."
A 2019 street-style moment launched Katie Holmes to fashion icon status
In addition to her acting career and affiliation with Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes has become quite famous for her style. Aside from her stunning fashion week ensembles, fans also love to keep up with her street style — and one New York City moment in particular thrust her into fashion icon status. While hailing a cab in the summer of 2019, Holmes was photographed wearing a matching cashmere cardigan and bra set by Khaite. The actor's effortlessly sexy look went viral, and ever since the unassuming moment, eagle-eyed fashionistas have continued to look to Holmes for style inspiration, eagerly awaiting the next time she's papped on the street or is photographed at a star-studded event.
In September 2022, Holmes told Who What Wear that she doesn't dress with the intention of influencing — she just genuinely loves fashion. "I think what we wear is an opportunity to create [a narrative]," she shared. "You're creating your look for the day, you're creating how you feel, and you're revealing that [to the world]."
Katie Holmes broke into screenwriting and producing during the COVID-19 pandemic
When the world came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic, Katie Holmes decided to venture further into the behind-the-camera side of movie-making. She began dabbling in screenwriting, authoring a script for "All Alone Together," which she went on to produce, direct, and star in after the 2020 quarantine. Additionally, she directed the film adaptation of "Rare Objects," a novel by Katherine Tessaro, which was also shot during the pandemic.
Holmes told Who What Wear in 2022 that she relished the opportunity to be the person calling the shots on set, but that it was also important to her to foster a collaborative environment. "I'm in the position of control, and that's something that I respect. That being said, the true process is something bigger than everybody involved in a very true way because there are so many pieces that have to come together," she said. "Now you have to be the one in charge saying yes, no, yes, no, and this is the vision I want."
In 2023, Katie Holmes revealed there have been several talks of a Dawson's Creek reboot
While in Cannes, France, for the Kering Women in Motion event in May 2023, Katie Holmes revealed that there have been many conversations over the years in regards to rebooting "Dawson's Creek." However, Holmes said that the ultimate consensus continues to be that there's no compelling reason to reboot the teen drama, and the purity of the original show may not hold up in today's world.
"There's a protection that comes along with the discussion," Holmes said, per Variety. "The show was a time capsule. To put it into today's world might tarnish it a little bit." She explained, "It was right before everyone had a phone and social media and all of that, so there was an innocence that was there between the characters that was one of the things I think people liked about the show. To put it into the setting of today's world, I'm not sure." Holmes added, "For now, we kind of just keep saying that until there is a real reason to do it, it hasn't been something where people have said, 'This is the take on it.'"
The same year, Katie Holmes opened up about her personal creative pursuits
During a spring 2023 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Katie Holmes shared a few of her favorite creative hobbies that help her feel at her best. The "Batman Begins" star said her morning routine includes journaling a few pages to clear her mind and set the stage for her day. Additionally, she shared, "I try to start the week with something creative for myself, like a dance class or maybe I'll paint for a little bit." Holmes revealed she's been an avid painter for several decades: "I find it to be very soothing in between projects, and there's such a value in using your hands."
Holmes is also a fervent reader, and she went on to share that she frequents bookstores, and oftentimes, materials she reads for fun spark inspiration for her film work. "I love beautiful writing, so if I see a sentence, I'll write it down," Holmes said. "Maybe I'll think of that sentence out of context of the book and maybe apply it to a character or the feeling of the way I want something shot. It becomes a source of inspiration."
In 2024, Katie Holmes reunited with one of her Dawson's Creek co-stars
On a February 2024 night in New York City, Katie Holmes and her "Dawson's Creek" co-star Michelle Williams enjoyed a haute couture reunion. Both of the teen drama alumnae were in attendance for Chanel's Fifth Avenue store opening party, and they treated fans to a lovely photo of Jen and Joey looking all grown up and chic as ever. Holmes and Williams stood side by side with one arm wrapped around the other, and both smiled softly with a knowing sparkle in their eyes.
True to Joey's tomboy nature, Holmes wore a black Chanel pantsuit that showed a black lace bra beneath her single-button cardigan. She accessorized with a black quilted purse, an assortment of silver jewelry, and color-blocked cap-toe heels. Williams opted for a feminine ensemble, which looked gorgeously edgy thanks to her platinum pixie-cut hair. Her outfit included a long-sleeved, buttoned-up, plaid Chanel minidress, as well as sheer gray tights, black peep-toe heels, a metallic handbag, and silver earrings.
Katie Holmes nurtured Suri Cruise in her last year of high school in 2024
Katie Holmes' daughter Suri Cruise began her final year of high school in the fall of 2023, and according to a December 2023 report by The Daily Mail, she has her sights set on enrolling in a New York fashion institute come fall 2024. While a source told the outlet that the teen has been applying to a variety of colleges, they added that Holmes is anxious about her daughter leaving the nest for a school outside of New York. "Katie takes great pride in her but is also extremely overprotective," the insider said.
While Tom Cruise hasn't been present in Suri's life since Holmes divorced him in 2012, a stipulation of the divorce was that Cruise would pay Holmes $400,000 annually in child support until their daughter's 18th birthday. The divorce documents stated that Suri's education, including college tuition, will be paid for by her estranged father.
As for the "First Daughter" star's future, a source told InTouch Weekly in February 2024, "She's actively looking for roles and is eager to throw herself back into the industry full-time." They added, "And don't forget the non-disclosure agreement she signed — it's set to expire, too. If things get tough, Katie could cash in by penning a tell-all book!"