First time director Katie Holmes stars in 'All We Had'

NEW YORK (WABC) -- She is one of the world's most beautiful women who was married to one of the world's most famous men.

And that tends to obscure the very real talent of Katie Holmes.

As she puts it, "When you are at the center of a tabloid storm, It's hard to get out of."

This is her first movie as a director, "All We Had', is in theaters and streaming online.

Holmes says the experience of directing scared her because, "Everything is new."

The relationship of a mother and daughter fighting to make ends meet is at the heart of the film.

Katie gives special thanks to her real daughter, Suri, at the end of the movie.

She says about her daughter, "I wanted to show her, you know, Mommy can be the director. Women can do a lot of things."

While Holmes dials down her stylish side for the role she plays in 'All We Had', her intensity is in full flower.

The film, she says, gave her one of the most fulfilling roles of her career.