Born on December 8, 1978, in Toledo, Ohio, Katie was the youngest of five children. As a teenager, the lissome girl went to modelling school, and did considerably well in her class.

Soon, she tired of modelling, felt it wasn't challenging enough, and went over to LA to try her luck in movies. Luck, indeed -- with her very second audition, she got a small role in Ang Lee's The Ice Storm!

In 1998, a lucky audition tape carried her through to the young and fresh television drama series, Dawson's Creek. She was cast as one of the show's primary characters, Josephine Potter.

Joey, as Holmes was called, soon became the fan-favourite.