
now here’s something to really jump up and down on the couch for.









hollywood’s worst-kept romantic secret—the relationship between jamie foxx and katie holmes—is finally out of the bag, after the couple was photographed walking hand in hand on the beach in malibu on labor day, wearing matching fedoras no less.









they have repeatedly denied they are in a relationship over the past few years, despite incessant rumors and frequent sightings of them together.









indeed, on one occasion, a friend of the couple, apparently unaware of the omerta, accidentally mentioned their relationship to media outlets, only to issue a hasty retraction.









the absurd level of secrecy, and their public appearance together this week, looks set to give credence to an extraordinary rumor first reported by the gossip site radaronline.









in september last year, radar claimed that as part of her divorce settlement from top gun star cruise, holmes had agreed not to publicly date anyone until five years had passed following the end of her marriage.









“katie signed a clause in her quickie divorce settlement that prevents her from embarrassing tom in various ways, like talking about him or scientology, or publicly dating another man for five years after the divorce,” the source claimed.









“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,” the insider told radar. “katie wanted out of the marriage so badly, she agreed to the terms—and got $4.8 million in child support, plus another $5 million for herself.”









cruise and holmes agreed to a divorce settlement in just 10 days, with the pact reportedly stipulating suri would not have any contact with cruise’s religion, scientology.









however, had holmes broken the rules about “embarrassing” cruise, she could have lost the money, the source alleged.









if true, that five-year period would have ended in june—which may explain why the couple has now come out.









remarkably, most observers believe foxx and holmes have been together since 2013—about a year after her split from tom cruise—when they were photographed dancing together at a charity bash in the hamptons.









but they have largely avoided being photographed together and consistently denied they are a couple since then.









there have been a few slips; for example, katie was seen with a ring on her finger in march 2016, but foxx’s rep said it wasn’t from him.









it was claimed the two met at each other’s homes and that katie sometimes disguised herself with wigs and hats to meet up with foxx without being noticed.









in march 2015, a photo surfaced showing the two stars sitting in a recording studio holding hands.









jamie is seen reclining in his chair, holding katie’s hand and gazing at her, with his legs subtly intertwining hers. the actress sat with her legs crossed and staring at her phone, with her foot is resting on one of jamie’s, while his other foot sneaks around her calf.









foxx denied reports of romance, insisting the two were “just friends.”









in december 2015, holmes was a guest at jamie’s surprise birthday party in new york at la bilboquet restaurant.









and soon after, she was spotted at the honor bar in beverly hills with the actor’s youngest daughter, annalise.









in june 2016, there seemed to be the first public confirmation that foxx and holmes were, indeed, in a relationship when former real housewives of atlanta star claudia jordan, a friend, said they were dating.









“he is very happy with her. i like that he seems very happy,” claudia said during an interview for the allegedly podcast.









however, jordan quickly retracted, telling entertainment tonight the day after the podcast reveal that she had “no knowledge of jamie with katie at all.”









“i’ve never seen them together. he’s never told me he’s dating her,” she said.









in april this year, a restaurant customer snapped a photo of them having dinner in new york, and in may they were spotted separately boarding the same private jet at le bourget airport in paris. they were photographed leaving the park hyatt vendome hotel separately.









to make it impossible to get photo evidence that they are together, they traveled “in cars with tinted windows and took secret back elevators,” us weekly reported in april.









the couple is said to be exhausted by the need for secrecy, and is doubtless thrilled that the long and allegedly controlling shadow of tom cruise will no longer be a presence in their lives.