How serious are Katie Holmes and her new man, Jason Bard Yarmosky?

Fourteen years ago this summer, the scandal that had the gossip ecosystem in a chokehold was the Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise divorce. It was a bombshell – not just on the public but, reportedly, on him too, because she exited herself out of his life with the stealth of a ninja; and in the weeks that followed there was incessant rumouring about how she pulled it off, with burner phones and sh-t, and there was talk that she actually used the paparazzi, made herself visible, so that she could be protected from whatever retribution might be coming for her.

It was a lifetime ago. And since then, Katie’s dated other people, most notably an on-off five year situationship with Jamie Foxx. And then last summer, she directed and co-starred in a new film with Joshua Jackson, resulting in nostalgia shipping as some people hoped that, maybe, after all these years these two had found each other again.

Probably they both used that, a little, to promote the project but in reality… if we’re being honest… Josh is a bit messy. A friend can see that pretty clearly in their friend, and Katie probably knew that about him from way back, even if they weren’t in touch all the time.

Besides, she’s with someone else now. Katie’s been seen with artist Jason Bard Yarmosky several times this month. PEOPLE reported last week that they met at a dinner just last month and have been inseparable since – holding hands at a screening for The Invite and yesterday and today holding hands again and kissing.

If it’s true that this is relatively new, it looks like they’re moving serious? Not because of the kissing and hugging but because it’s out in the open. Katie’s lived in New York a long time, she presumably would be familiar with the paps, when she can and can’t avoid them, for the most part. And she doesn’t seem to be hiding.

This is the first time we’ve seen her with a legit romantic interest in four years or so. Suri Noelle just completed her second year in university, she’s building her own life, and Katie, having single parented for so long, is also now exploring a new chapter in hers.

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