Angelina likes to balance motherhood with hard core action

Angelina Jolie first read the script for Salt just after she had given birth to her much-adored twins, Vivienne and Knox.

As she points out, it was rather difficult to imagine making an action thriller which would involve hi-octane stunts – most performed by Jolie herself – including gritty fight sequences, edging along a tiny ledge 12 stories high and leaping on to moving cars, when your focus is on caring for your newborn babies.

But then, Ms Jolie clearly loves a challenge. “I do like making movies like this and I loved making this one,” she smiles. “When they first called me about Salt I had just had the twins and I was at home in my nightgown feeling very soft and maternal."

“I remember I was with them in my bedroom, you know as you do in the early weeks when you’ve just had a baby, and I flipped through the script and it was all about getting out there and attacking and being very physical and I did feel really funny, in my nightgown in my bedroom, thinking ‘if I can do this it would be a nice balance..’ You know, from being soft and Mommy and then going back to work and doing this hard, physical role. It seemed like a real challenge. And I like that.”