Even after two decades in the industry, Katie Holmes still doesn’t let Hollywood “dictate” her decisions, from her projects to what she wears.

The actress recently opened up to City & country about how she’s navigated industry changes over the years, especially the extra attention focused on her clothes thanks to social media.

“Fashion is really big, and it didn’t used to be,” it Dawson’s Creek said the alum. “As an actor, you weren’t necessarily photographed all the time on the street. It’s different now, and it’s flattering, but it doesn’t change how I live or dress. I am adamant about having a life and not letting this industry dictate decisions as simple as what I wear or as complicated as what I do. You don’t want to be afraid of anything do you?

The same goes for the types of acting projects Holmes takes on. She can now be more selective about which films she joins and choose the ones she is passionate about, compared to earlier in her career.

“Do I have 20 scripts at my door, all greenlit? No. Would that make life easier? Yes. Is it unrealistic? Yes,” the Coda said the star. “Everyone has to find their interesting story, try to put it together and make poetry out of things. There’s a lot of thought that goes into the projects I work on, but at the end of the day you still want to create something that people will respond to. You’re always at someone’s whim.”

Holmes has come a long way since her role as Joey Potter Dawson’s Creekwhich ran from 1998 to 2003. In addition to acting in hit films, she has since ventured into production, directing and fashion (most recently collaborating with French brand APC), as well as starting her production company, Lafayette Pictures.