21 of Katie Holmes’s Best Movies & TV Shows, Ranked
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As far as we’re concerned, Katie Holmes will always be Joey Potter—better known as our imaginary BFF next door in Dawson’s Creek. But as much as we’ve enjoyed seeing her journey on the teen drama, Holmes has also dabbled in a variety of other genres, from chilling horror flicks to smart satires. And if there’s one thing we’ve noticed about the actress, it’s that she has a knack for portraying the most intriguing and multi-faceted women on-screen. Here are 21 of Katie Holmes’s best movies and TV shows, ranked.
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21. ‘First Daughter’ (2004)
Ideal for guilty-pleasure viewing, this fairytale romance follows cookie-cutter damsel and first daughter Samantha (Holmes), who longs to experience college like a normal student. Things start to look up when she falls for one of her peers, but as it turns out, there’s more to prince charming than meets the eye...
20. ‘Teaching Mrs. Tingle’ (1999)
Helen Mirren, Jeffrey Tambor, Molly Ringwald and Vivica A. Fox star in this teen comedy, which is helmed by Dawson's Creek creator Kevin Williamson. Holmes plays an overachieving high school student whose attempt at confronting her harsh teacher turns into utter chaos.
19. ‘Miss Meadows’ (2014)
Mary Poppins meets The Punisher in this dark comedy thriller, where Holmes plays a seemingly innocent teacher who, unbeknownst to everyone, is a fierce vigilante by night. Holmes’s portrayal of Miss Meadows is sure to challenge anyone’s views about justice and morality.
18. ‘Mad Money’ (2008)
Holmes teams up with powerhouse actresses Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah in this comedy-crime film, which tells the story of three female employees who steal a fortune in worn-out bills from a Kansas City bank. Silly premise and far-fetched scenarios aside, it’s impossible to get through this movie without laughing.
17. ‘The Giver’ (2014)
Inspired by Lois Lowry’s popular YA novel, the dystopian film depicts a world without conflict, emotion and suffering. But when a young boy named Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) meets the keeper of the community's memories, he learns a dark secret and embarks on a mission to escape it entirely. FYI: Holmes gives a pretty solid performance as Jonas's concerned mother.
16. ‘Ray Donovan’
The actress appeared in season three as Paige, a no-nonsense sports agent who hires Ray Donovan, L.A.’s finest “fixer.” On the surface, Paige is poised, chic and put-together. But Holmes adds a bit of depth to the character, revealing that she’s much more complicated than she lets on.
15. ‘All We Had’ (2016)
Holmes made her directorial debut with this poignant drama, where she stars as a single mom who’s trying to find a new home for herself and her teenage daughter during the 2008 financial crisis. Who can say “no” to an inspiring tale of survival?
14. ‘The Gift’ (2000)
Set in a small town in Georgia, a clairvoyant fortune-teller and widow uses her special ability to help make ends meet. But her world is turned upside-down when a promiscuous young girl (played by Holmes) goes missing, and the town turns to her for help.
13. ‘The Secret: Dare to Dream’ (2020)
In this adaptation of Rhonda Byrne’s self-help book, Holmes plays Miranda Wells, a hard-working mom whose life takes an interesting turn when a powerful storm brings a mysterious man into her family's life.
12. ‘Wonder Boys’ (2000)
Michael Douglas and Tobey Maguire are the real stars in this Oscar-nominated film. It follows Professor Grady (Douglas), a creative writing teacher who's struggling to finish his second novel. Holmes certainly holds her own as one of his brightest students, Hannah Green—who also has a huge crush on Professor Grady.
11. ‘Logan Lucky’ (2017)
When blue-collar worker Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) gets laid off at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, he hatches a plan to rob the complex with the help of his siblings—but things don’t go according to plan. Holmes delivers a stunning, comedic performance as Jimmy’s ex-wife, Bobbie Jo Chapman.
10. ‘Don't Be Afraid of the Dark’ (2011)
Holmes taps into her darker side in this spooky horror flick, which follows a small family who moves into a massive, secluded old mansion that’s being restored. But before long, young Sally (Bailee Madison) discovers that there are dark creatures lurking in the hidden basement.
9. ‘Woman in Gold’ (2015)
Teaching Mrs. Tingle isn’t the only time that Holmes worked with Mirren. The ladies reunited for Woman in Gold, which is based on the inspiring true story of Maria Altmann. It centers around an elderly Austrian-American Jewish refugee who teams up with her lawyer, Randy (Ryan Reynolds), to reclaim family-owned paintings that were stolen by the Nazis during World War II.
8. ‘Phone Booth’ (2002)
This intense thriller tells the story of a married, narcissistic publicist who finds himself trapped inside a phone booth after trying to contact the woman he’s having an affair with (played by Holmes).
7. ‘Touched with Fire’ (2015)
Inspired by Paul Dalio's struggles with bipolar disorder, Touched with Fire explores the budding relationship between two bipolar poets, who meet at a psychiatric hospital. The chemistry between Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby is simply unmatched.
6. ‘Go’ (1999)
Told from three perspectives within the span of 24 hours, Go depicts the aftermath of a drug deal gone horribly wrong on Christmas Eve. Holmes’s character is offered up as collateral by her friend, Ronna (Sarah Polley), after she starts dealing. NBD.
5. ‘Thank You for Smoking’ (2005)
A sharp satire with punchy one-liners to boot, this Black comedy centers on a Big Tobacco spokesman, who struggles to find a balance between work and being a good role model for his 12-year-old son. Holmes is simply brilliant as Washington Post reporter Heather Holloway.
4. ‘The Ice Storm’ (1997)
Allow us to introduce Holmes’s first-ever movie, where she plays a young girl who’s stuck in a love triangle with Tobey Maguire and David Krumholtz. Yes, her role is fairly minor, but the ensemble cast and complex themes make this title stand out as one of her best.
3. ‘Pieces of April’ (2003)
Holmes shines as April Burns, a rebellious black sheep, in this ’90s classic. When she invites her dysfunctional family over for Thanksgiving dinner, the preparation process is far from smooth. Can she pull it off?
2. ‘Batman Begins’ (2005)
Fun fact: When Nolan opened up about casting Holmes for this role, he explained that it was because of her “warmth” and “emotional appeal.” During a press conference, he said, “Katie has a maturity beyond her years that comes across in the film and was central to the idea that Rachael is something of a moral conscience for Bruce.” Judging by her performance, his choice was spot-on.
1. ‘Dawson's Creek’ (1998)
It’s the iconic role that skyrocketed Holmes to fame. But also, watching Joey Potter rock boot-cut jeans and climb through Dawson's window just never gets old. Excuse us while we binge-watch this classic.
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