Motherhood often transforms women’s lives, and Diane Kruger, at 48, is no exception. After giving birth to her daughter in November 2018 with actor Norman Reedus, her goals took on a specific, somewhat unusual form.
She wanted to regain control over her body, not just for everyday activities but to perform high-level stunts in her latest action film, The 355.
#1. Embracing Physicality Postpartum
For Kruger, the journey back to physical fitness wasn’t just about getting her pre-pregnancy body back—it was about pushing it further than ever before.
She needed to prepare for her role as a German spy in The 355, a film that showcases an all-female team (including Jessica Chastain, Penélope Cruz, Lupita Nyong’o, and Fan Bingbing) working together to stop a global catastrophe.
In order to be physically ready for the intense action sequences, Kruger wanted to be able to “jog up a 35-foot crane suspended in midair” and perform moves with military precision.
“I was ready to get back to me, and to get out of the house,” Kruger says. “It was fun to have a few hours away each day to focus on my body and my work.”
Six months postpartum, she dived into an intense training regimen that would allow her to keep up with her action-packed role.
#2. Gritty Action in The 355
Jessica Chastain, one of the film’s producers, was determined to make The 355 stand out from typical action movies by ensuring that the stunts were fierce and believable, regardless of the characters’ gender.
“Jessica really wanted to make it closer to a Bourne franchise,” says Kruger.
True to that mission, Kruger’s fight scenes in the film are gritty and realistic. Her training was inspired by Krav Maga, a self-defense system that aligned with her character’s German spy background.
Kruger’s fight sequences, particularly a memorable scene in a walk-in freezer with Chastain, are brutal and unrelenting.
“It was daunting,” she admits, “but exhilarating to go back to working out—to lifting heavy, kicking higher, and trusting my body.” Her preparation included daily two-hour sessions of boxing, running, wrestling, and basic gymnastics.
#3. The Balance Between Career and Motherhood
Balancing her career with motherhood was a new challenge for Kruger, but The 355 set provided a supportive environment.
“One thing that was wonderful about this film was that many of us were mothers,” she says. “We were allowed to bring our children to set and had a trailer for the kids.”
This experience has reshaped how Kruger approaches her career. “Everything changed with motherhood—it’s such a cliché, but it’s true.
The way I look at work is different. I cherish it more today than I did before, but at the same time, you look at everything from a different angle.”
She now takes her daughter, who is three, with her on jobs around the world, even tackling the logistics of finding Montessori preschools in foreign cities like Warsaw, Poland.
With her partner, Norman Reedus, frequently filming The Walking Dead in Atlanta, Kruger admits, “That’s always been very hard, and probably a reason I work less. Things just change when you have a family. You want to keep everyone together.”
#4. Self-Care and Fitness
As her daughter grows older, Kruger has become more conscious of how she cares for herself. She’s noticed tension in her body and finds herself clenching her jaw.
“I always feel like I’m forgetting 5,000 things a day,” she says, adding that she’s working on prioritizing self-care.
She now works out four times a week, focusing on exercises like burpees, box jumps, sit-ups, and 20-pound squats. “It’s the moments when I don’t have to talk to anyone that help me the most,” she says.
Exercise, once viewed as a chore, has become her time to unwind and recharge. “When I was younger, I did a lot of ballet and ballroom dancing, so I didn’t work out traditionally,” she explains.
But as she got older, she realized that strength training wasn’t just about maintaining her figure—it was about her mental and physical well-being.
#5. Embracing Change
Over the years, Kruger has embraced the changes that motherhood and age have brought into her life, both personally and professionally. “There are so many things you don’t have control over in life,” she reflects. “But to be able to change your body—there’s something thrilling about that.”
For Kruger, motherhood has not only transformed her priorities but has also strengthened her appreciation for her body’s resilience. Whether performing jaw-dropping stunts or juggling her family’s needs, Kruger continues to push her limits with grace and determination.
