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Lately, Katie Holmes has been deeply focused on her work and her daughter, Suri Noelle, who has just begun a new chapter in her life with her going away to college. The actress, who is preparing to return to Broadway with the iconic play 'Our Town', hasn’t forgotten her roots as an actress or her co-stars. Sad news over the weekend has brought back memories of those past days, as Obi Ndefo, one of the actors from 'Dawson’s Creek', passed away at just 51 years old.
Katie reshared a post by her Dawson’s Creek co-star Mary-Margaret Humes (who played Dawson Leery’s mother) on her story. The post featured the late actor, as a way to mourn his loss and pay tribute, Holmes also wrote, “"He was wonderful to work with and such a kind man. I send prayers and grace to his family. Rest in Peace. ❤️"
A tragic hit-and-run accident
Ndefo did not have an easy life. He appeared in the popular series between 1998 and 2002, playing Bodie Wells, the brother-in-law of Katie Holmes’ character. In 2019, he suffered the amputation of both legs after being struck by a car outside a grocery store in Los Angeles, where he had gone after a yoga class.
During his recovery, Ndefo became a yoga instructor and writer. As detailed by his sister, Nken Ndefo, who shared the tragic news of his death, her brother’s heart could not withstand the deterioration caused by the eating disorder he suffered from.
In X, his sister tweeted, "Obi Ndefo passed away early Wednesday morning in a Los Angeles area hospital. Tragically, Obi's heart gave out in his longstanding battle against the eating disorder orthorexia. As his family, we share this news to bring attention to orthorexia's severity and in the hopes that those suffering from this devasting disease receive the compassionate care they deserve." She also went on to saying that if people would like to make a donation in his name, to further research on this eating disorder, to please go to the National Eating Disorder Association.
Dawson’s Creek followed the lives of a group of teenage friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts. The main characters were Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek), Joey Potter (Katie Holmes), Jen Lindley (Michelle Williams), and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson). The series was a launching pad for the then-young actors and for Ndefo, who also appeared in titles such as Angel, The West Wing, and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Katie Holmes becomes an empty nester
Recently, Katie Holmes spoke about the new chapter in her daughter Suri’s life as she prepares to move away from home to attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, where she will study Dance. In a recent Town & Country magazine interview, the 45-year-old actress said, “I’m proud of my daughter. Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but I’m really proud of her and I’m happy. I remember being this age, this time of beginnings. It’s exciting to learn about yourself, and I loved that time, so it makes me happy to think about it like that.”
As Suri Cruise heads off to college, Katie Holmes is gearing up for her Broadway return this October in a major revival of Our Town. Set in the early 20th century in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, the play explores the lives of families like the Gibbs and the Webbs. This will be the first significant Broadway revival of the classic in nearly 25 years, with Holmes taking on the role of Mrs. Webb, a practical, family-oriented mother. She’ll be sharing the stage with Jim Parsons, Zoey Deutch, Ephraim Sykes, Richard Thomas, Julie Halston, and more.