Katie Holmes says now that she’s over 40 she can’t get by with her ‘old tricks’

Katie Holmes thinks a lot has changed since she turned 40.

The Dawson’s Creek alum maintains that she can no longer get by with her ‘old tricks’ from her youth and going makeup free is just not an option as she covered the April issue of InStyle to promote her new film The Secret: Dare To Dream.

‘As I told a friend of mine, “You know what’s so upsetting about the 40s? My old tricks don’t work.” [laughs] I have older siblings; I’m the baby of five. So I was always the cute one, and you get used to being the little cute one. Then you wake up one day I’m basically always putting lotion on,’ joked the star.

‘I do all that Barbara Sturm stuff: hyaluronic, face brightening, face cream, skin cream. It’s so vain. But that happens. It kind of hits you,’ added the brunette beauty.

And she feels like her looks have altered. 

‘It’s very odd. I used to get away with no makeup,’ began Holmes.

‘When I was a teenager and a young actress, it was about being sort of grungy. Now I’m like, “Oh god, I have to do stuff!” It sounds so superficial.’

And she is even careful in the gym.

‘Now I have to really stretch after the Peloton. Otherwise my back hurts, and it defeats the purpose. [laughs] When you’re 40-plus, you’ve really gotta take your vitamins,’ she added.

Katie is now 41 but still thriving in Hollywood as she makes several films a year. She seems grateful that the old rule that actresses don’t usually work over 40 is gone. 

‘People say you don’t really know yourself until you’re 40. I’m 41. I have seen things. I have experienced things,’ admitted the single mom.

‘I know what I’m talking about, and I know that my feelings and my insights are worthy. I’m going to listen to myself instead of deferring to someone else. That’s a big step as a human. It takes time.’ 

The ex of Jamie Foxx is promoting her new movie The Secret: Dare to Dream, which will be in theaters in April.

And she will soon direct her second film, Rare Objects, which she is proud of.

‘Rare Objects has been in the making for four or five years,’ said the red carpet fixture. ‘It hurts when you ask the opinions of people you respect and they say it’s not good. It’s like, “Can you be a little more specific? I’m not an idiot. Give me a helpful note instead of dissing me.” 

‘But whenever someone tells me no, I keep going. I’m not going to not do it,’ said the Dawson’s Creek vet.

‘I called my dad to tell him the news when it was green-lit, and he said, “That’s wonderful. Life is a real journey, and sometimes when things take a long time and you have to keep working hard, it just makes it that much sweeter. I’m really proud of you.” That’s all I needed to hear.’

And she can also focus more on her career now that Suri is older.  

‘I have been in this business for quite some time. We both know you have ups and downs,’ she said.

‘…It’s really because my movie [Rare Objects, a story of female friendship] is coming together. 

‘Suri is 14, so we’ve gotten through the sort of girlie stage. I feel like I can be more creative and have more time, have my voice. It’s sort of, like, just put your stuff out there and be yourself. It takes a while to be comfortable, though.’

And Katie – who also admits in the interview she is a Jennifer Lopez fan – is finally getting used to fame.

‘Obviously, as a public person, I’ve gotten a lot of attention at different periods in my life. And when you have a lot of attention, sometimes you don’t want to leave the house because it’s just too much,’ she admitted.

‘You can get consumed by what people think, but suddenly you just decide to do things on your own terms. I feel like I’m finally figuring that out. I’m getting the projects I want made and just relaxing a little. I’ve been around for a long time, and I’m still here! I can’t believe it. [laughs].’

Holmes also explained why she always used cabs and not Uber.

‘Well, part of that is my lack of ability with technology. The Uber app and I just don’t work out. But when I was young, Dawson’s Creek was such a huge leap. Within a year of graduating from high school, we were known everywhere. It was quite a lot. Obviously, the world was not what it is today — there weren’t as many paparazzi or people with phones. But it was still weird that I was treated differently. It felt unnatural, and I didn’t understand it. Now I don’t lead with being a public person; I lead with being a person. You should be kind because that’s what people do, not because you want people to think you are kind.’

And she paints. 

‘I was a bit of an only child since my siblings are older, so I got very used to entertaining myself. I still do; I like to stay busy. My mother had a very successful drapery business, but then when I was born — I was a lot of work. [laughs] So she gave it up. But my mom is an incredible quilter, and one of my sisters is an art teacher, so I grew up with that. I’ve always wanted Suri to feel empowered [in that way] too. I remember asking her what kind of party she wanted for her fourth or fifth birthday, and she said a fairy party. So we went to the fabric store and picked out everything we needed for fairies. I wanted her to create things instead of having stuff done for her. That way she was always in charge. 

She even addressed the stress she faced after divorcing Tom Cruise in 2012 after six years of marriage.

‘That time was intense. It was a lot of attention, and I had a little child on top of it,’ said the star who has daughter Suri Cruise, now 14. ‘We had some funny moments out and about in public. So many people I didn’t know became my friends and helped us out, and that’s what I love about the city.’ 

Holmes did not hold back when talking about how much she loves Suri.

‘I love her so much. My biggest goal has always been to nurture her into her individuality,’ she said.

‘To make sure she is 100 percent herself and strong, confident, and able. And to know it. She came out very strong — she’s always been a strong personality. She’ll pick an activity and work her butt off until she’s really good at it. Then she’s like, “OK, I’m going to try the next thing.” She’s very focused and a hard worker.’

And she talked about Suri’s early years when she was one of the most photographed kids around.

‘I have to say, I did recently see some fan site [about her] posted when she was a baby, and it was very intense. We were followed a lot when she was little,’ said the star who put Suri on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine when she was a baby.

‘I just wanted her outside, so I would walk her around to find parks at, like, 6 in the morning when nobody would see us. But there’s one video where I’m holding her — she was 2 at the time — and she starts waving at the cameras. She’s pretty special.’

She also talks about her early years in LA after moving from Ohio.

‘I thought things were going to be really fun. My first day in L.A. was January 21, 1996. My mom and I were driving on Santa Monica Boulevard and saw a big sign that said “Golden Globes.” So we went and sat on the bleachers in the rain to watch movie stars arrive. We couldn’t believe what we had stumbled upon.’

Holmes also said that actresses tried to not publicise their private life. Rather, they wanted to stay under the radar. 

‘When I started, it was about being very mysterious,’ said Katie.

‘You were known through your work. There was much less attention in the ’90s than there is now, and as a young actress, you just want to get the job. You want to be liked. You want a good take and think, “Was I good enough?”‘

But now she really doesn’t need that feedback. 

‘Over time there’s a transition. I have my own confidence now. I’m not looking for somebody else to say, “Good job.” It’s more, “What are we going for?” It’s more collaborative,’ said Holmes.