Diane Kruger, A NAME FROM THE SKY

[1:08]Zibby Owens: Hi. I'm Zibby Owens, the creator and host of the award winning podcast that you're listening to right now, thank you so much, called Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books. It is a daily podcast three hundred and sixty five days a year, and each day we talk to an author about all of the things related to their career, their book, their life, and more in thirty minutes or less because who has time? I am now an author myself, although I wasn't when I started this podcast, and you can get my new memoir, A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Literature wherever books are sold starting July 1, and my children's book, Princess Charming. You can learn more about me at zibbyowens.com. But really, you're here to learn more about the authors, and that is what we're going to do. Also, sure to check out all the other podcasts in the ZCast Podcast Network. You can learn more at zcastnetwork.com, and definitely check out those shows as well. I hope you'll all check out the all new Zibby Mag, z I b b y m a g, the literary lifestyle destination with essays, book news, a lit lifestyle feature, and even some classes. Check it out. Zippymag.com. Diane Kruger is the author of a name from the sky. Actor and mom Diane Kruger grew up in Germany and has lived in London, Paris, and New York, where she currently resides with her partner, Norman Reedus, and their daughter. Her films include The Three Five Five, National Treasure, which is honestly one of my kids' favorite movies ever, Inglorious Basterds, and Troy. Before becoming an actress, she studied ballet with the Royal Ballet in London. Growing up, Diane stood out from the other kids with a name that was unusual in her country. But when Diane's mother tells her the origin of her name, everything changes and she finds her special powers. This relatable autobiographical story comes full circle when Diane explains how she chose her own daughter's name and invites readers to learn the meaning behind their names and discover their own special powers. What's yours? Welcome, Diane. Thank you so much for coming on Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books to discuss your beautiful children's book, A Name From the Sky. Hi, I'm so glad to be here. Okay. Would you mind telling everybody about this children's book? Why did you decide to write a children's book in the first place?

[3:20]Diane Kruger: So it kind of started, you know, I'm not really a writer or an author, but I was in before the pandemic. I was in Los Angeles working and my mother had come from Germany to help with my daughter, who was about one at the time. And the world shut down and weeks turned into months. And I found myself spending so much time with my mom that I hadn't since I left home at 16. And we started talking about my childhood and things I'd forgotten and new stories. And she reminded me of this story that really changed my life in a completely different direction, which is the day she told me about the meaning of my name. So Diane, even though it seems incredible, is a very unusual name in Germany. And I'm from a very small rural town in Germany and people and kids would always make fun of me. And I was also kind of an odd kid. I would walk to school with a pet bunny, life bunny on a leash and sit in my lap during class. I didn't have a lot of friends. I preferred to read and truly the characters in those books were my best friends and my bunny. And I'd just become a new mom. And I remember how intensely I thought about or we thought about Nova's name, Nova Tennessee. And I just started writing things down. I just had the time to do so. And I thought, well, if I felt like I was an outsider with a name like Diane, I'm sure there's tons of kids that must feel the same way. And I found an editor and they thought the idea was good. And, you know, here we are. It took two years. So it's really been a long, a long time in the making.

[5:02]Zibby Owens: Wow. And the illustrations are absolutely beautiful too. You must have been so happy with them.

[5:07]Diane Kruger: Yeah. It's a whole new process. I didn't really know how much work goes into making a picture book. So once we have the text and it was in the 800 to 1,000 letters, which I also didn't know a children book had to have, which was like panic inducing. So they asked me since obviously it's a very personal story, they asked me how I imagined myself and the book and the illustrations. And I said, well, if I could have a German illustrated, that would really bring me back to my childhood. And I don't know, it would just like be a three sixty for me. And so Krista Unsna, who is the illustrator of my book, I mean, I must have driven her crazy because a lot of it is truly inspired. What I wore, like the cover is from a picture of me in that age. I love Pippi Longstocking. So when I was a kid, I dressed like her. I wanted to be different, but I love the outcome. Like she brought so much to the book more than I could have ever imagined.

[6:08]Zibby Owens: Wow, that's amazing. What's so great about the book too, is a lot of children's books that tackle a moment in it someone's life, like in the childhood, stay in the childhood. But you take us all the way to now, which is so interesting, and how you basically found your voice and came into your own identity through acting, through ballet, and how it all comes full circle. Full circle. Yeah. So tell me about the moment, like, when you went to London, which you write about in this book, when you leave your town and you see all the people and you realize your name is not that unique and you go to the ballet for the first time and everything. Talk about all of that and the impact that had on your life. Yes. So I tried to tackle a few things in the book. So obviously that moment,

[6:52]Diane Kruger: what I remember most about that moment is I'd seen movies. I know people were actors. But what moved me so much when I went to the theater for the first time was the reaction on the audience, right? The emotion that was collectively felt by a performance that was unfolding. And as I was watching and looking around me and I saw people laugh and have this feeling of truly of like very intense emotion. It truly was like for me, like lightning struck me. Was like, wow, I want to make people feel that way. This would be amazing. You can tell stories, you act them out. I was doing that anyways in my head. Maybe these are going to be my special powers. So that's how it kind of happened for me, even though it obviously took many years to get to becoming an actor. But I also wanted to tackle the power that parents hold, right? Because I think the two moments in the book, one taking a child, exposing a child to a different environment and different experiences. But then also there's the book when I tell my mom that I think I found my powers, right? It's just what I want to do. And instead of saying, well, you too young, well, that's not a job. She said, okay, I'm going to trust you. You can do that. You should go and spread your wings. And that is in the book is a little bit of a metaphor. When I was 15, I started modeling and I was missing a lot of class because I got jobs in Paris and New York and all these places. And the principal of my school kicked me out. He basically said, you have to either come back and finish school or you need to leave. And I remember that as so unjust because I was working from afar. I was doing all my exams, and I was passing not like an A plus student, but I was doing it and I really wanted to finish school. And it really felt like he was telling me or asking me to either not follow my dreams just to fit in his perfect little box that he'd created for people. And I remember that when I told my mom that she said, Okay, I'm going to trust you. You can go. You can go for a year to Paris. And this is in a time where there's no computer, no cell phones. I didn't speak a word of French.

[9:08]Zibby Owens: I'm going to trust you.

[9:10]Diane Kruger: You can go live on your own at fifteen. And if I hear anything, have to come back and finish school, but I'll trust you. And to this day, that moment is the one single moment that defined my life. If she had said no, I don't know. Maybe I would have never done anything in my life. And so I wanted with this book to encourage or show parents that I think we need to trust our children, that we need to give them wings rather than try to clip them off. Let them explore even if they fail. That was kind of the idea. Well, now I feel terrible because I have 15 year old twins. If they told me they were dropping out of school to go to Paris, I would be like, No, you're not. So maybe they could become

[9:50]Zibby Owens: you, but I'm like totally clamping their wings together. Oh, well. Too bad for my kids. Oh, well. Oh, well. Next time. I had a question, by the way, about your Paris moment, of Paris. Wait. Let me find this picture. Okay. Were you actually a mime in Paris? No,

[10:10]Diane Kruger: not But I was I went to drama school in Paris. Okay. So, you know, I was up on stage in Paris and we would have performances there, of course. But it's obviously a mime doesn't speak also. I

[10:23]Zibby Owens: was just making sure. Was like, Is that really how she got her start as a mime? No. Clarifying. My other question too. So you explained in the book how powerful the name Diane is, but why did your parents pick Diane to begin with? Obviously, it's powerful. Did they debate other names? Did you ask her about that? Like, what was the second choice?

[10:43]Diane Kruger: I think the second choice would have been Christine or something. I don't know. It was definitely not as helpful as that name. I don't know, my mom said she had heard that name through a friend and that she looked up what it meant. You never heard the name because it was so unusual, right? And I'm the firstborn and it was a very difficult pregnancy. I was like three weeks late and she just felt that I was the strong, I was a really big baby. I had this power when I was born. Also, just remember because I felt so my family situation was a little unstable growing up. So there was a lot of embarrassment from my side that I couldn't really bring kids home to my house. I just I never, I always felt awkward. People always looked at me like I was awkward. And when she told me the meaning about that, it seemed so, I felt like seen for the first time. Felt like she spent all this time thinking about that. So if she thought that I was special, maybe I am. Like maybe there is a possibility for me to do different things and maybe I could become this powerful woman one day. What was going on that you didn't want people coming to your house? It's just my dad was, you know, he was an alcoholic. And I mean, it's not a very fun part to it. And so it just wasn't like an idyllic childhood in that sense. I think

[12:07]Zibby Owens: very few people really have idyllic childhoods. So everybody has a story. Yeah, exactly. Well, as someone who grew up with an odd name, my name is Zibby. And it's only now that it's actually been useful because people remember who I am. What is that coming from? It's for Elizabeth. But it's just a nickname, Zibby. It's just a nickname. But still, I mean, it's when you feel like you stick out in some way as a kid when all you're trying to do is fit in, it's it's it's a Yeah. I yes. Exactly. So I I I relate to that. Today's episode is sponsored by Quince. Summer always makes me rethink what I'm reaching for every day. Lighter fabrics, better materials, pieces that just feel good the moment you put them on and look effortless. That's why I keep coming back to quints. They focus on high quality essentials. Think breathable linen, soft organic cotton, washable silk, but without the luxury markup. It's that rare balance where everything feels elevated, but still easy. Quince has beautiful everyday pieces like 100% European linen pants, dresses, and tops with styles starting at $32. Their denim is soft and easy to wear. I wear my jean jacket all the time. And their organic cotton sweaters are perfect for layering on cool summer nights. Everything at Quince is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. Quince works directly with ethical factories and cuts out the middlemen, so you're paying for quality, not brand markup. And it's not just clothing. Quince has really become a destination for elevated essentials across home, kitchen, bedding, and beyond, making it easy to bring a more premium feel into everyday life. In addition to my jean jacket, I recently got a white tank top dress with a beautiful cotton skirt that is absolutely gorgeous, and I can't wait for it to be warm enough so I can wear it every day, but it has been a cool spring. Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to quince.com/zippy for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty five day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's quince.com/zibby for free shipping and three sixty five day returns. Quince.com/zibby. What advice do you have for people who are feeling like you felt, which is hard to believe now when you're so obviously come into your element, but people who are feeling awkward or something about them, whether it's their name or their home life or something, it's just making them feel so isolated. Like, how do you get through that moment? How do you maintain the confidence that you will get through that moment? I

[14:44]Diane Kruger: just think most people feel, most children feel that way, no matter how privileged they grow up or how poor they grow up. Obviously, we all have different challenges in life. I truly believe, you know, and being a mom myself, I truly believe that each child is born perfect. And everybody has their special powers, whether that's, you you're going to turn out to be a physician or you're going to sell ice cream in Washington Square Park. But you are unique and perfect and trust that you are enough in whatever you think you're going to go. And I love the idea of us as parents allowing each child to just be that. And that's enough, you know?

[15:28]Zibby Owens: The more kids I have, the more I realize that parenting has so little to do with anything. Right? They're just born the way they are, and we just have to not mess them up. In terms of becoming an actress or an actor and being able to be in this position to sort of give back and and look back on your own life and and all of that, do you still have time to read? Do you still pull back pull forward some of those stories from when you were little? Do you include books in your day to day life? Do you read on set when you get a break? Like, where where does reading fit into your work life now?

[16:03]Diane Kruger: Oh, I read all the time. I will say I read less fiction because I read scripts, right? So I read 10 to 15 scripts a week. I read all the time and then I read to my daughter every night. And we have this tradition. So I'm a little regretful because like I said, I grew up in a small town and I would go to the library, right? And in the days that you took great pride and you had your book and you had to really take good care of it. And you get that stamp and you had to return it at a certain time and I didn't have the money to overextend. So I was reading and taking care of books. I loved that. I loved going there and feeling like I have the responsibility to take care of this book. And obviously, she grows up in New York. We don't really go to a library here. But every Sunday we go to a library. And it's very interesting for me because she can't read yet, obviously, to what she gravitates, like what illustrations and books she gravitates to. And we read three to four books in the store and then I let her pick one or two and we can get home. It's our favorite time. We get into bed together if I'm not and read books. She has a huge library everywhere we go. And it is one of those things, I don't know about you, but obviously she watches TV and she watches her tablet and it's part of the life we live. But it gives me such joy to see her imagination. Because contrary to a movie, when you read a book, the way you interpret it or how you see it is such a personal thing. And I can see her mind wander. And then the next day when we play and she like makes play believe, like, you know, make believe characters from the book take place in that play, you know, And it just gives me such joy to see her just expand her imagination, right? And that's so much better than just watching a movie, you know, being force fed or told what to feel and what to believe, right? So true. Do you have a go to that you read every night? I used to do Goodnight Moon every single night. Oh, I know. That's a good one. We've read that a lot. Right now, you know, she's four, so she reads Frank and Bert is a favorite. I don't know if you have read that. She used to love Pete the Cat, but I think she's getting a little too old for that. Yeah, that stage. She loves this book called Nowhere. It's about a boy who doesn't want to be told anymore by his parents what to do and what not to do. So he kind of runs away from home, but now he finds himself nowhere and he wants to be somewhere. It changed. Yeah. Interesting.

[18:45]Zibby Owens: And yet, despite having your own name be unique in the context in which you grew up, you decided to name Nova Nova, which is a bit of absolutely beautiful name. Can you talk a little bit about that and how you're preparing her for life with a name that is not traditional?

[19:04]Diane Kruger: Well, in a way, you know, it is very because in Latin, Nova means new beginnings, right? So I mean I tell her about her name all the time, especially now since I've written a book and I've read it to her. But I'm trying to make her understand that her uniqueness is what makes her her, right? And I'm trying to tell her how much we thought about her before she was born. So Nova's new beginnings and that was very special to her dad and I because I had her later in life and he already had a kid with someone else. So it really was a new departure for us. And we were in Tennessee on a motorcycle trip and we were sitting, like in the book, were sitting outside on a camp and we were looking in the stars. Obviously, Nova is the name of a star. A Nova star, if you've ever seen one in a picture, it truly has the color of the rainbow and it's all colors and it's always changing. And I love the idea of a Nova star, of Nova being able to chase the darkness that life can hold every day. And there's the promise of a new beginning that each day holds and she will be able to start fresh. And then her dad and I met her in a movie called Sky. So it just felt like it was all kind of happening.

[20:20]Zibby Owens: Good thing it wasn't Armageddon or something. Oh, know, right? Can you imagine? You'd have not such the best name. So what is coming next for you? You have this children's book ad. What's on the horizon?

[20:33]Diane Kruger: Well, I'm back in my day job. So this whole year has been very busy. We've lived in different countries all year. We were in Poland for two years, two months. Then we're living in France as a family for a year because I was working there for four months. So Nova went to school in France and we're still there. She's going back there. We're going to Marrakech next month for ten days for a film festival and she's going to be able to come. So it's been a very, very, very busy year. I'm looking forward to kind of slow down after November. But we're going to be in Europe for a year. Yeah. Oh, that's exciting.

[21:10]Zibby Owens: My last question is like, what do you think your life would be like if you had stayed in your village? What if your mom had said no, like me, the terrible mother? What would life be? Where do you think you'd be? I don't know. I think be

[21:24]Diane Kruger: miserable. Not because I didn't like the village, just because I felt so I felt lost, you know? I don't know what I would be doing. Honestly, I probably work in a supermarket. I don't know. Not that that's a bad thing, but you know what I'm saying? Like, I think I would have probably been working in a local store, always thinking what if, you know?

[21:47]Zibby Owens: Wow. Mhmm. Well, thank you for taking us along with you while we see how how your life ended up going this way. And thanks for this beautiful, beautiful book. This is such a great new baby gift, by the way. I for every parent now who's having a new kid, this is gonna be on my on my go to gift list. Oh, thank you. That makes me happy. But thanks for taking the time to chat with me. Thank you so much too. Bye. Have a nice You too. Bye bye. Thanks for listening to this episode of Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram at Zibby Owens and at moms don't have time to read books. Also, sign up for my newsletter at zibbyowens.com and sign up for my virtual book club and meet lots of authors on Zoom every other week. Thanks so much to Steve and Ryan at Texture Sound for the sound editing, and thank you to Morning Moon Productions for providing this fantastic intro and outro music.