Katie Holmes: Daughter Suri inspired directorial debut

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Katie Holmes says her daughter inspired her forthcoming directorial debut.

The 37-year-old actress couldn't help but gush about Suri Cruise, her 10-year-old daughter with ex-husband Tom Cruise, while discussing her movie All We Had with Entertainment Tonight.

"She gets a special thanks for everything, [for] every job I do, because she makes every day great and awesome and better," she said. "I know myself better because of her."

All We Had stars Holmes and Stefania LaVie Owen as Rita and Ruthie Carmichael, a struggling single mom and daughter who move to a small town. The star said her relationship with Suri helped her connect with the story.

"Every mom can relate to [it]," she said. "The mother-daughter theme [of] that unending love that you have for your mother and for your child is universal."

Holmes had shared rare photos of Suri from her own mom's surprise birthday party in September. She previously told Ocean Drive magazine that she considers motherhood her true calling.

"[Parenthood] changes you completely in such amazing ways, and I think that you become who you were meant to be," the actress said. "Being a parent also is a source of inspiration to just work really hard."

"I don't really regret anything that I've done," she added of her 2012 split from Cruise. "I've learned from everything, and everything sort of leads you to the next place. I just keep going."

All We Had is based on the Annie Weatherwax novel of the same name, and opens in theaters Dec. 9. Holmes is also slated to reprise Jackie Kennedy in Reelz mini-series The Kennedys: After Camelot.