What a difference 11 years makes.
Three months after the expiration of a public dating ban Tom Cruise reportedly slapped on his ex-wife, Katie Holmes, she’s wasted no time in finally confirming that she’s in a relationship with his buddy, Jamie Foxx.
But in stark contrast to her shy and reticent debut with Tom in Rome in April 2006, this time Katie appeared to be happy and confident as she held hands with her man on a romantic beach stroll in Malibu on Monday.
The shots, which show Katie and Jamie laughing and joking as they paddle in the waves, are a world away from the ostentatious red carpet displays Tom was seemingly so fond of, and which often left his young bride looking dazed and overwhelmed.
And while she went barefoot for the beach walk with her new man, 5ft 9-tall Katie will no doubt be thrilled that unlike with her diminutive ex, who was two inches shorter, she can at last wear high heels to her hearts content.
Heels aside, back in 2015 when their relationship was still a closely guarded secret, a source claimed that her new romance was very different from her last.
"Jamie is someone she can trust and have fun with. She's getting everything from Jamie that she didn't get with Tom," the insider told Us Weekly.
For their long-awaited debut, the naturally stunning Dawson's Creek star kept it simple in a floral, calf-length dress and sun hat, matching her equally casual boyfriend, who wore Adidas tracksuit bottoms and a black t-shirt.
Holidaying on the coast for America’s Labor Day holiday, the couple were also spotted putting on a cosy display on the patio of their rented beach-front home.
At one point, Katie could be seen proudly holding his hand, looking like the cat that got the cream.
In another, the super-secretive couple - who have reportedly managed to keep their romance on the down low since 2013 - can be seen chatting and hugging as they look out across the ocean.
Their freedom to indulge in such open displays has been a long time in the making.
During the bitter battle over the couple’s £275million estate, Tom reportedly enforced a watertight contract that banned Katie, 38, from mentioning their marriage or publicly dating for five years.
A source claimed to Radar Online last year: “She’s allowed to date, but she cannot do so in a public fashion, and she’s not supposed to let any boyfriend near their daughter, Suri.”
Agreeing to the clause reportedly gained Katie full custody of Suri, £3.6million in child support and £3.8million for herself.
The settlement also reportedly contained “iron-clad” rulings that Suri would not be made a member of the controversial Church of Scientology, where Tom holds a high rank.
Meanwhile, after making such a bold move, Katie couldn't stop smiling. Last night she uploaded a shot of herself and her daughter to Instagram, with her happiness clear for all to see.
"My sweetie" she captioned the black and white image of them sat at a table in a restaurant, with a third setting clearly visible for Jamie.
He was also spotted picking up food from a restaurant in Westlake Village, California, and struggled to hide his grin when he was asked about Katie.
"Congratulations," a reporter told the 49-year-old as he made his way to his silver Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
"What on?" he replied coyly.
"On you and Katie. You confirmed that... congratulations," the journo continued, and Jamie's cheeky grin said it all.
Meanwhile, it's business as usual for Tom on the set of his latest movie, the sixth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise.
According to reports, the actor, who was married to Katie for six years, has been spotted looking like he hadn't a care in the world, waving cheerily to fans as they walked past the London set.
Whether or not he knew about Katie's clandestine romance remains to be seen.
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