OTTAWA -- Still delusional about his relationship with Dawson's Creek star Katie Holmes, a local man was found not criminally responsible for the hundreds of harassing phone calls made to the star's father and a lawyer for NBC.

 Michael Willis originally faced two counts each of criminal harassment, making harassing phone calls and mischief. Last month, he pleaded not guilty but his lawyer Sean May requested a hearing to determine whether his client is criminally responsible.

 The 36-year-old, one-time Rhodes Scholar's actions included at least 160 calls to the home and office of Holmes' father Martin Holmes in which Willis demanded cash for an engagement ring for the actress.

 Stole story ideas

 He also made at least 100 calls to Ben Heineman, a lawyer for General Electric, which owns NBC. Willis also demanded cash from Heineman because he claimed NBC's news division, particularly Tom Brokaw, stole his story ideas.

 Although Holmes' father still lives in the star's home state of Ohio and Heineman lives in Connecticut, Ottawa police became involved after being contacted earlier this year by a private investigator who tracked Willis down at his apartment across the street from the Ottawa police station.

 Yesterday, Crown prosecutor Jo Ann Meloche asked that the charges of making harassing phone calls and mischief be tossed.

 The hearing continued for the remaining charges with ROH psychiatrist Dr. John Bradford taking the stand.

 "Mr. Willis even today doesn't believe he has a mental illness or a mental disorder," Bradford said, noting Willis still feels justified in his actions since he still has the "unshakeable belief" he has some kind of relationship with Holmes.

 Doctors at the ROH have been giving Willis anti-psychotic medication since his May arrest, but Bradford said he hasn't much improvement.

 "I'm disappointed in the progress so far," Bradford said. "A delusional disorder is hard to treat."

 Even though Willis has no history of violence, Bradford told the court he could act out violently towards people he perceives to be getting in the way of his non-existent relationship with Holmes.

 Since Justice David Dempsey found Willis not criminally responsible, Willis will spend at least another 45 days at the ROH until the Ontario Review Board decides his fate.

 Bradford said he will recommend Willis stay at the hospital until he shows significant progress.

Although he has reportedly passed on a chance to co-star with Sharon Stone in "Basic Instinct 2," Benjamin Bratt is now in talks to appear alongside Katie Holmes in the thriller "Abandon."

The film, to be directed by rookie Stephen Gaghan, would cast Bratt as a ex-alcoholic detective assigned to a college girl (Holmes) who may have been involved in the sudden disappearance of her lover.

The film is due to begin shooting in Montreal on April 16, the report said. Gaghan is Oscar-nominated for his screenplay to "Traffic."

Cult director Sam Raimi, who most recently took a turn toward the mainstream with Kevin Costner's flop "For Love Of The Game", is poised to make a return to his creepshow roots.
 
 The IGN Movies site says Raimi's next project will be "The Gift," from a script by Billy Bob Thornton.
 
 Cate Blanchett is set to star as a psychic recruited to help search for a missing Arkansas girl, and "Dawson's Creek" co-star Katie Holmes is in talks to play the missing girl, IGN reports.
 
 Cinescape magazine says shooting will get underway next month.
 
 Prior to "For Love Of The Game," Raimi was best known as the director of cult classics like "Army Of Darkness," "Darkman," and two "Evil Dead" movies.
 
 He made a move toward more traditional filmmaking with the acclaimed "A Simple Plan," which also starred Thornton.

-- JAM! Movies

NEW YORK -- Katie Holmes has a guardian angel who works overtime.

There's no other way to explain how the 20-year-old doe-eyed star of Dawson's Creek has a career at all.

The summer she was 17, Holmes attended a modelling convention in New York where a Los Angeles talent scout urged her parents to let him represent her. Her father, a Toledo, Ohio, lawyer was reluctant but Katie pleaded and was soon off to L.A. with her mother for what was to be six weeks of auditions.

The stay was cut short when Holmes's first audition led to a cameo role in Ang Lee's The Ice Storm. She played the wealthy girl Tobey Maguire was obsessed with.

"Making The Ice Storm was the most incredibly frightening and incredibly rewarding thing I'd ever done," recalls Holmes, who returned to Toledo for her final year at an all-girls Catholic high school. "After The Ice Storm, I'd get about four scripts a month, mostly for TV pilots. My mom would rehearse with me and then we'd make a video in our rumpus room with my mom reading the other character's lines off camera."

One of those pilots was for a new teen series called Dawson's Creek and Holmes was invited to read for Joey, the girl who'd be the lead character's love interest. The series creator was Kevin Williamson, who was riding high on the success of his first movie Scream.

"My original choice for the role of Joey was Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions) but I felt it was my duty to go through the videos other actresses had submitted," recalls Williamson.

He admits when he turned on Holmes's amateur video he was dubious to say the least. "Here was this little girl in her family's rumpus room staring at the camera with her mom reading the boy's lines off camera. In just a few seconds she had me mesmerized. I not only knew I'd found my Joey but I knew I was seeing a star in the making."

Williamson and Holmes, who obviously got the part, became friends. She even has her own room in his house and stayed with Williamson for two months recently.

"I'm like Kevin's annoying little sister who never goes away," jokes Holmes. On a serious note, she admits "being friends with Kevin is a pivotal force in my life. While we were shooting the pilot for Dawson's Creek, Kevin told me all about the feature films he had written and told me he wanted me to play the lead in his Teaching Mrs. Tingle."

Tingle, which opens Friday, is the story of a tyrannical history teacher (Helen Mirren) who is determined to ruin the life of the school's brightest student, played by Holmes. Holmes and two other students take Tingle hostage and it quickly becomes a war of wits as the wily teacher tries to turn her captors against each other.

Teaching Mrs. Tingle affords Holmes her first on-screen love scene as her character seduces the school rebel, played by Barry Watson, one of the stars of 7th Heaven.

There's no explicit nudity but Holmes does disrobe to bra and panties. "You have to understand that until last year, my parents imposed a curfew on me. I come from a very strict Catholic family. I've shown the scene to my older brother Marty and he says I'm going to have some explaining to do."

With Holmes's good luck, it will likely work out fine.

Holmes is careful about revealing too much concerning her private life.

She flatly refuses to discuss the status of her relationship with Canadian actor and Dawson's Creek co-star Joshua Jackson.

"I like to keep things like that personal. I'm trying to lead as normal a life as possible. This summer I went on vacation with a few of my best girlfriends from back home."

Holmes admits that, "this is an incredible time to be a young actor in Hollywood. There are so many opportunities on TV and in feature films.

"As a child, acting was my guilty pleasure. I never dreamed it would turn into such an exciting career. Even more exciting is the fact that I seem to get connected at the hip with all the young actors I work with. I've made such wonderful lasting friendships.

"Then there's the added bonus of working with such incredibly talented established actors."

"I'm fifteen years old, & I go through every day thinking that nobody loves me."

"Oh I dated the star quarterback & got knocked up, the usual."

"What's in it for you? I mean, the fact that I've been a first class bitch to you since the day you got here is pretty much public knowledge."

"Don't ever sell out."

"Put this vaseline on your teeth." "Why?" "It helps so that your teeth don't stick when you smile" "You mean I have to smile? You never said I was gonna have to smile" - Jen, Joey

"Wherever life takes you, big cities, small towns you will inevitably come across small minds. People who think they are better than you are. People who think that material things or being pretty or popular makes you a worthwhile human being. But none of these things matter unless you have a strength of character, integrity, sense of pride. And if you have these things, don't ever sell them. Don't ever sell out. So when you meet a person for the first time, please don't judge them by their station in life.Ê Because who knows, that person just might end up being your best friend."

"I don't think his cinematic prowess is the attraction Dawson."

"I didn't know you had a thing for Brad Pitt." "I don't." "Sandra Bullock?" "DAWSON!" - Dawson, Joey

"You are just looking for conflict. Everything is a potential script to you. Accept your perfect life Dawson, it's a reality!"

"How can you seem to be friends with someone when every time you look at them you all you think about is how much more you really want." "Well you know, I no expert at this Dawson, but I think it can be done." - Dawson, Joey

"I'm sorry there are no cartoons to make this interesting for you Pacey, but its not designed to be fascinating, its designed to be educational."

"What a second, your taking romantic advise from a guy who spent his evening trying to get three snail to sleep with each other."

"Yesterday we had a science project, and today we have, what, two thirds of a charm braclet."

"Did you just pull that one out of you butt, or what?"

"I have a semi-quasy date tonight." "really? who's the lucky farm animal?" - Pacey, Joey

"What makes a woman horny?" "your polar opposite?" - Pacey, Joey

"You used to be bitter and sinicle too, you were far more interesting."

"fasten your seatbelt, It's going to be a bumpy life."

"When I saw you going for Jen's hand, I mean it's not like I wanted to be the one holding your hand, I just didn't want her holding it"

"Mmm, sand in my crotch, Heaven!"

"I'm not suggesting leather straps and Crisco, just a kiss"

"I can't understand how someone so self-aware can be utterly clueless."

"Yeah, so if you're thinking of tracking him down, just look for the guy with the brown hair and throbbing neck muscles"

"Clap hard Dawson. you may be tinkerbell's last hope."