Katie Holmes feels like she and daughter Suri "grew up together".
The 40-year-old actress gave birth to her 13-year-old girl – whose father is her ex-husband Tom Cruise – when she was 27 in April 2006, and she says it’s been "nice" having a child whose age is a "good match" for her own.
Katie told the latest issue of ELLE UK: "I was happy to become a mum in my twenties. "It’s been nice that our ages fit … how do I put this? Every age that my child has been and my age at that time has been a good match.
"We kind of grew up together."
The ‘Logan Lucky’ star also spoke about how fulfilled she feels with her life and career after turning 40.
She said: "I directed my first film, ‘All We Had’, a couple of years ago and I’ve been working to get my second film ready so I’m excited to continue.
"It’s interesting to be 40, though, because when you’re young, you think, ‘I’m never going to be 40!’
"And then the day comes and it’s like, this is OK. I’m still doing everything I’ve always done.
"I feel happy with where my career is and I’m excited for the projects that I have coming up to come to fruition."
Meanwhile, Katie also reflected on the time she turned down her audition for the role of Joey Potter in ‘Dawson’s Creek’ in favour of a school play.
She recalled: "I was playing Lola [Damn Yankees, school play].
"I even got to wear the feather boa.
"I thought, there is no way I’m not playing Lola to go audition for some network.
"I couldn’t let my school down … so I told Kevin [director Kevin Williamson] and [TV network] The WB, ‘I’m sorry, I just can’t meet with you this week. I’ve got other commitments.’"
Katie ended up getting the part in the hit US teen comedy and remained on the show until the final series in 2003.
Katie and her co-stars, including James Van Der Beek (Dawson Leery), Joshua Jackson (Pacey Witter), Michelle Williams (Jen Lindley) and Busy Philipps (Audrey Liddell), reunited last year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the programme.
She said: "It was really nice.
"We all went out to dinner and, I think, for all of us to really sit back in amazement that people still watch it and care about it.
"It was bigger than all of us and we all feel grateful that we got to contribute to it and benefit from it. We all got so many opportunities because of it."
The December issue of ELLE UK is on sale from Thursday 7 November 2019. www.ELLE.com/uk