Actress Diane Kruger has said she now considers if work projects are “worthwhile” rather than what they will do for her career since becoming a mother.
The 45-year-old star welcomed her first child, a daughter, in late 2018 with fellow actor Norman Reedus and said her perspective on life and work changed after that.
She started training for her new spy film The 355 six months after giving birth and admitted it was “daunting”, but felt she was ready to get back to focusing on her body and work for a few hours a day.
She told Women’s Health UK magazine: “Everything changed with motherhood – it’s such a cliche, but it’s true.
“The way I look at work is different. I love to work; in fact, I cherish it more today than I did before, but at the same time you look at everything from a different angle.
“It’s not: what’s it going to do for my career? It’s more about: could it fit into my schedule? How can I make it work? Is it going to be worthwhile?”
Kruger has previously starred in a string of films including playing Helen in the 2004 war film Troy and Bridget von Hammersmark in Quentin Tarantino’s war film Inglourious Basterds in 2009.
In her new film The 355, she features alongside Jessica Chastain and Penelope Cruz, and plays one of five female international spies who team up to prevent a world-altering event from occurring.
Discussing preparing for the role, she said: “It was daunting. But after six months of being a full-time mom, I was ready to get back to me and to get out of the house.
“It was fun to have a few hours away each day to focus on my body and my work.
“It was exhilarating to go back to working out – to lifting heavy, kicking higher and trusting my body.”
She explained that as there are so many things in her life that she cannot control, she finds it “thrilling” to be able to change her body.
The actress and former fashion model added she is a “little socially awkward” so she has always looked for moments when she can be by herself and she finds that in her workout time now.
Read the full Diane Kruger interview in the March issue of Women’s Health UK, on sale from February 8.