Angelina Jolie has found "peace" since becoming a mother.

The 'Kung Fu Panda 2' actress - who has children Maddox, nine, Pax, seven, Zahara, six, Shiloh, four, and two-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne with partner Brad Pitt - admits there can be a "lot of chaos" in her family life, but she feels contentment in knowing her kids are all safe and healthy.

Asked about finding inner peace, she said: "Especially for people that have children. You wake up and if they're healthy, you know that that's the most important thing, so you have first of all that peace. They also come with a lot of chaos, but we're all searching for it. It's part of the human Journey.

"We all have moments of inner peace and we lose it and we look for it again. But really it's in knowing the people you love are safe and healthy. That's the best."

The 34-year-old beauty also spoke of her pride in the lessons her sons are learning by taking martial arts classes, admitting she is pleased they will be able to defend themselves if they need to.

Speaking at a press conference in Cannes, she said: "My boys are in martial arts classes. Boys are boys and they have a certain kind of energy, naturally.

"It's been wonderful to get them focused on martial arts to teach them about the discipline and the respect and the control of their own bodies. I think to ignore that that's a part of humanity, especially little boys, is wrong.

"So it's to help guide them - what's a positive thing, what's a good guy, To try not to use violence certainly, but if you have to, to defend yourself."