From Mirror.co.uk What Katie Did Next By ANNA DAY Perhaps Katie Holmes did the right thing in turning down a life of academia. With a place at Columbia University still waiting for her, she could have been a doctor or a lawyer, but instead found herself a star in the hit TV series Dawson’s Creek. Now the elfin beauty has a new film out this week – the family comedy Pieces Of April – is paid millions of dollars for Hollywood roles, owns two homes and is planning her LA wedding to fellow film star Chris Klein. But, unsurprisingly in such an intelligent actress, she’s totally unaffected by her success. Sitting in one of London’s top hotels, her tiny feet are tucked under her legs as if she was hanging out in a local cafe back home in Toledo, Ohio, chatting with her friends. “It does all seem strange that things have turned out like this,” Katie grins. “I never dreamt of being an actress when I was at school. I was definitely going to uni and Columbia were good enough to defer my entry. I still plan to go back. I really think education is important, I just haven’t had the time yet.” It’s hard to see just when she will be able to get back to university. Since winning the first role Katie auditioned for in Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm (1997), she’s worked continuously. The dramatic movie then won her the part of Joey in Dawson’s Creek, which she initially turned down because it conflicted with her high school production of Damn Yankees and she didn’t want to let down her classmates. The producers ended up rescheduling anyway and she got the part. Viewers then watched Katie go through typical teen traumas both on screen and off. She dated her co-star Joshua Jackson for two years while the couple consummated their love in the programme. They split up in 2001 (Eh..was 1999, not 2001 - Chaz), but Katie still refers to Joshua as her first love and they remain close. Eventually the tears and tantrums of the Creek became too tiresome and the series finished last year. “It was hard to leave,” says Katie, 25. “I’d been with those guys for 10 months a year, we’ve grown up together. But there had to be an ending to the story, it couldn’t go on forever.” Like the cast members of Friends, all her old mates from the Creek have tried to make the move to cinema, with varying degrees of success. James Van Der Beek, who played Dawson, made an impressive stab at a college rebel in The Rules Of Attraction, while ladies’ favourite Jackson flopped with The Skulls and Gossip. He has five films in the works and is hoping at least one will consolidate his transfer to Hollywood, a hard trick to pull off as Katie well knows. “It’s been tough to leave such a well-known show and try to make a mark in the movies,” she admits. “Everyone knew us so well as those characters that we had to prove they were just that – characters. We’re all totally different to them.” Katie is making her point with a string of big budget films. Despite turning down appearances in Friends and 40 Days And 40 Nights due to scheduling conflicts, she managed to fit in Wonderboys with Michael Douglas and The Gift with Cate Blanchett – both in 2000 – and Phone Booth (2002) alongside Colin Farrell and Kiefer Sutherland. “I’ve been lucky that roles have come along during my breaks in filming Dawson’s Creek,” she says. “I’ve turned down some stuff, but I hope directors realise I’m making those decisions because of prior commitments, not because I didn’t want to do their movie. Life should be easier now that I have more time on my hands.” The first project Katie jumped into after Creek was Pieces Of April, the story of an unreliable daughter who invites her family over for the big annual Thanksgiving dinner. April, who has a history of drug addiction, pyromania and shoplifting, isn’t trusted by her mother and, as mum and dad are driving from Pennsylvania to April’s tiny apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, she discovers that her oven is broken. A comedy of errors then unfolds as she races around her building trying to borrow the use of a neighbour’s cooker to get out her of her predicament. “I love April,” says Katie. “She’s very creative and strong.” Is it a role she can identify with? “Yes, I could,” she admits. “Although my family are really close, I could identify with wanting to be my own person.” Katie’s own relationship with fiancé Chris Klein – star of the American Pie movies – started as her relationship with old mate Joshua Jackson fizzled out. Chris proposed with a £500,000 ring on Christmas Day last year and they’ll probably marry some time in the autumn. “I haven’t planned much yet,” Katie smiles. “When I was younger I had ideas of being a princess on my wedding day, but I’ve grown up now. Maybe I’ll keep it simple.” A Hollywood wedding, simple? That really would be rewriting the rule book. l Pieces Of April is out today.

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