Katie Holmes Says Quarantining with Suri Cruise Has Been “Such a Lesson”

Katie Holmes opens up about spending time with daughter Suri in quarantine, Holmes says their time in lockdown has been “such a lesson.”

Like parents all over the world, Katie Holmes is getting an extra dose of quality kid time thanks to quarantine. And in a new interview, the actor opened up about the bright side of her life in lockdown.

Holmes has long been guarded when it comes to the topic of her 14-year-old daughter, Suri Cruise, and at first, it seemed like she wouldn’t have much to say about her when she spoke to Australian paper The Daily Telegraph.

“I like to keep her out of my interviews,” she told the publication.

However, despite that stance, she was willing to talk about their recent time at home together amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“I will say that this time of quarantine has been such a lesson, just really looking at everything you have and celebrating the simplicity of making dinner and (spending) that time together,” the 41-year-old mom explained. “I feel strongly that the power of your own attitude definitely influences those around you, including your children.”

“I love her so much. My biggest goal has always been to nurture her into her individuality. To make sure she is 100 percent herself and strong, confident, and able. And to know it. She came out very strong—she’s always been a strong personality. She’ll pick an activity and work her butt off until she’s really good at it. Then she’s like, ‘Okay, I’m going to try the next thing.’ She’s very focused and a hard worker. I have to say, I did recently see some fan site [about her] posted when she was a baby, and it was very intense. We were followed a lot when she was little. I just wanted her outside, so I would walk her around to find parks at, like, 6 in the morning when nobody would see us. But there’s one video where I’m holding her—she was 2 at the time—and she starts waving at the cameras. She’s pretty special.”

Holmes has been raising Suri as a single mother since her 2012 split from ex-husband Tom Cruise, and she’s been juggling the demands of that role and her on-screen roles ever since. But the star is looking forward to doing more work off-screen.

“Acting is my first love, but I also enjoy the experience of directing and have a new appreciation for the directors I’ve worked with,” she told the paper.

And, as she revealed in the pre-quarantine past, taking the reins as a director means she gets to spend more time with Suri than when she acts — and that’s the part she appreciates most of all.

“The thing about directing is I can say I have this window and that’s when we’re getting it done,” she explained to Town & Country magazine in 2017, shortly after her directorial debut in “All We Had.” “My child is the most important person to me, and her upbringing is paramount to my work right now. It’s very important that I’m present and she has a stable, innocent childhood.”

She added at the time, “I feel so blessed to do what I do, but there’s nothing in the world better than watching your child succeed.”