Kate "Katie" Noelle Holmes (born December 18, 1978) is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as
Joey Potter on
The WB television
teen drama Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2003. Her movie roles have ranged from
art house films such as
The Ice Storm to thrillers such as
Abandon to blockbusters such as
Batman Begins.
In early 2005, Holmes began a
highly publicized relationship with actor
Tom Cruise, which drew attention due to the sixteen-year age difference between the two. In June, two months after they first met, Holmes and Cruise were engaged. Their relationship made Holmes the subject of international media attention, much of it negative, including speculation the relationship was a publicity stunt to promote the couple's films.
[Tina Brown. It's Only Publicity Love. Washingtonpost.com. May 26, 2005. Accessed 2008-01-29.] Holmes, who was raised a
Roman Catholic,
[Katie Holmes's New Friend Raises Eyebrows. People.com. June 16, 2005. Accessed 2008-01-29.] joined the
Church of Scientology shortly after the couple began dating.
[Stephen M. Silverman. Katie Holmes Says She's Studying Scientology. People.com. June 14, 2005. Accessed 2008-01-29.] On April 18, 2006, Holmes gave birth to their daughter, Suri. On November 18, 2006, she and Cruise were married in Italy.
