Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz found the confidence that came with hitting her thirties a relief.

The 45-year-old is known for her stunning looks as well as her work on movies including Constantine, The Mummy and The Constant Gardener, for which she won an Academy Award. But despite her success, it took Rachel a long time to be comfortable with herself and what she has achieved.

“In your teens you think nothing is impossible,” she told Britain’s The Independent newspaper. “Then in your twenties you realise everything isn’t possible. I think in your thirties you get more confident about who you are and I find that a relief. The twenties are excruciating. At least they were for me, anyway.”

As she’s aged, Rachel’s self-assurance has grown and she’s now at an extremely happy stage of her life. She tied the knot with James Bond actor Daniel Craig in June 2011 and her career continues to go from strength to strength. While she doesn’t have a formula for how she reached this period of bliss, she does think things get easier with time.

“Definitely,” she smiled. “I know I’m doing more than when I started. Does it get easier? Do you really know what you are doing? It’s all about roaming around, trying. It’s not very scientific.”

The urge to challenge herself fits into this approach to life, and Rachel has started to buy the adaptation rights to books she would love to see on the big screen.

“It’s been interesting,” she admitted. “I’ve done enough films that I have a sense of what I want to do. I’ve read enough scripts. I can’t write, but I can develop.”

Rachel will soon be seen in The Lobster alongside Colin Farrell. The movie is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and its unusual approach to sci-fi intrigued the actress.

“There was no way for preparing for this role,” she said. “I just wanted to be part of his universe.”