The 54-year-old actress - who raises Claudia Rose, 19, and John Henry, 17, with husband David E. Kelley - always likes to be in control so admits it was a shock when she realised it wouldn`t be easy to combine her career with having a family.

She said: "I think all women who work and have families struggle with finding the right balance.

"I`m such a control freak and I was able to juggle a lot until I had my first child. It was a rude awakening for me. It was the first time in my life I couldn`t do everything.

"I realised at that point that a person could have it all, but they can`t do it all. That`s a really hard adjustment for me. But there`s nothing more unpredictable and harder and humbling than being a parent."

The `Dark Shadows` actress also insisted she can`t see herself ever retiring because she feels defined by her work.

She added in an interview with Stylist magazine: "Work is a lot of how I define myself and maybe that`s not healthy, but it`s true. It feeds me, you know.

"I can`t see myself ever retiring. Ever. I started working part-time when I was 14 and still at school and I`ve never stopped.

"From the moment I started I loved it and I feel like I always need to be productive in some way. When the kids were growing up, it was challenging and creative and a big project.

"But who knows? I may not always be acting, I hope I am."
sections: Celebrities