Julia Roberts thinks working makes her a better mother.

The 41-year-old actress - who has three children, twins Hazel and Phinnaeus, four, and Henry, two, with husband Danny Moder - still accepts movie roles because they "recharge" her in a way her family can't.

She said: "I still find it fun making movies. I jokingly say that it's fun to spend time with people who are more than three and a half feet tall. Going to work recharges me on a whole different level.

"When I come home to my family, I'm more enriched. When you're a mum, so much happens within the confines of you home, so when you venture outside for a while, it adds to the colours of your life."

Julia insists her children are always happy, whether she's working or not.

She added: "When I look at my children I see a real sense of joy. They're happy kids."