Michelle Pfeiffer says motherhood is profoundly humbling and has delivered the greatest ego-check of her life.

The Scarface actress has two children with television writer-and-producer David E. Kelley, Claudia, 32, and John Henry, 31. Michelle and David tied the knot in 1993, after having met on a blind date earlier that same year, and have remained in a happy marriage for more than 30 years ever since.

Despite a long career in the spotlight, Michelle feels deeply grounded crediting motherhood for providing her with a sense of stability.

In an interview with the UK issue OK! Magazine, she said: "Since I became a mom, I found balance in my life. Being an actor, when you're forced to be introspective all the time, it's a relief to have something that can take you out of your narcissism. It gives your life a different level of meaning."

While most actors often operate from an external locus of control, due to the structural realities of their profession, Michelle deliberately cultivates an internal one to maintain mental stability.

She said: "It's just the nature of the beast, you're trying to connect with your character, so that lends itself to being retrospective more than most. Sometimes, it can cross into a place where it just is not healthy."

Pfeiffer starred alongside Kurt Russell in 1998 romantic crime film Tequila Sunrise and the pair have been reunited for Taylor Sheridan's six-part series The Madison.

The neo-western follows the Clyburn family, as Stacy Clyburn (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her husband Preston Clyburn (Kurt Russell) move from New York City to the Madison River valley in Montana as they try and move on from a life-changing tragedy.

Now aged 67, Michelle has experienced much grief in her life and says the emotion affects people differently.

She said: "When you get to my age, you've had enough people close to you - friends, family, colleagues - pass away, so you don't have to look too far for inspiration for that, unfortunately.

"Grief manifests itself differently with everyone. Some people are very stoic. With some people, it's just all out there. When you combine grief and the shock of an unexpected tragedy, then there's almost PTSD that also comes into play. And sometimes in the case of Abby, my eldest daughter, she's holding it together more because she sees what a mess I am."