Scott Simon on Katie Holmes

Scott Simon, Host, Weekend Edition Saturday

What's it like to interview one of the most beautiful women in the world?

Well, I talk to my wife every day. But in addition, this week on Weekend Edition Saturday, we talk to Katie Holmes. She is starring, along with John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, and other established stars, in the revival of Arthur Miller's 1947 play, All My Sons, on Broadway. This new revival is directed by Simon McBurney, the avante garde London stage director. It is Katie Holmes' first appearance onstage since her high school days in Toledo, Ohio.

John Lithgow came out first. He met us in a bathrobe and professed to be a fan of our show. He confirmed this by saying, "Hey, Scott. The White Sox are ahead, one up, in the seventh inning." Now there's a careful listener.

Katie Holmes entered the small room in jeans and a burnt sienna-colored sweater, her dark hair still damp and shiny from the shower.

John Lithgow changed into something I don't remember.

John Lithgow was charming and funny. Katie Holmes was charming and, I thought, just a little hesitant to speak toooo much about the theater in the presence of such a well-known man of the stage as John Lithgow. But you can decide for yourself when you hear them.

Just before the interview, a public relations agent took us aside and said, "By the way: Mr Lithgow and Miss Holmes are expecting questions about the play, and only the play." Of course that was a way of saying that all questions about Tom Cruise, Scientology, Suri Cruise, and all other such tabloid inquiries, would be turned away.

I don't like public relations people trying to set rules about what can and cannot be asked in an interview. We don't permit that with politicians and other policy-makers.

On the other hand, one of the civilized features about NPR News is that we try to avoid a lot of celebrity clatter. If you want that--and occasionally, who doesn't?--it can be found elsewhere.

But I also personally believe that any person is entitled to be private about their private life. If an actor lets it be known that they don't want to talk about their marriage, a divorce, an illness, or a personal relationship, I'm inclined to agree that it's none of our business (we once interviewed a famous actress on the very day her sexual orientation was in banner headlines on that day's New York Post. We didn't ask about it. When we met a year or so later, she told me that she had prepared herself with a non-answer, but was pleasantly amazed that we didn't even ask the question).

So what you will hear on our program is an interview about what it's like to appear onstage for the first time, and in Arthur Miller's great play.

But oh, since you asked: Katie Holmes is beautiful. Tall, lithe, slim-hipped, graceful, doe-eyed, and gracious. She reminds me of my wife.