Katie Holmes: The Treasure from Toledo

Q: Has it ever caused anxiety when one of you does well in a movie, as James Van Der Beek did with Varsity Blues?

A: We're hard on ourselves. I don't know that we're that competitive with each other. We're very different actors. So you can understand that if they're going to cast Michelle [Williams], then they want someone like Michelle. Good for her. If we're the one not working when everyone else is, that's when it gets hard.

Q: How did you get your very first movie, Ang Lee's The Ice Storm?

A: It was before "Dawson's Creek." I got discovered in New York at a modeling convention and a manager asked me to come to LA. One of his clients had an audition, so I got in the door, too. I thought I had no business being there, but they were nice. At first I tried out for Christina Ricci's part and I was too old. So they said, "Why don't you look at this other part?" Then they wanted to put me on tape. It was a long shot, the first movie I'd ever tried for. I remember that morning well--we went down to get something to drink and there were all these young people talking about auditions. I thought, "Nothing is going to happen."

Q: Weren't you intimidated by the cast of The Ice Storm--Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen? Even Tobey Maguire was pretty experienced.

A: I didn't know who anybody was. Coming from Ohio, I knew about Steven Spielberg, but no other directors. I did know who Kevin Kline was, and thank God I didn't have scenes with him because I would have been nervous. I met Tobey and I thought, He seems nice. I remember having lunch with him and he told me he was good friends with Leonardo DiCaprio. I was like, "Oh, my God!" I had a crush on Leonardo. I owe a lot to Tobey--he helped me. I was lucky to have that as my first movie because I was surrounded by so many artists. I didn't know what I was doing and I'm sure I had to do many takes, but Tobey was so good to me that I started to understand.

Q: How did you land "Dawson's Creek"?

A: My manager sent me the script and I loved the part of Joey. So I put myself on tape. My mother played Dawson and we had this setup in the basement. Kevin Williamson got it and said, "Bring her out." I got the show at the right time. I'd tried out for another series before called "Mr. Rhodes." This was just before my senior year, in between The Ice Storm and "Dawson's Creek." I did my table read and then my manager got a call. I was fired.

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