Angelina Jolie shows off her directing skills in a fun photo spread with Marie Claire UK where the actress/director also gushed on her career, Brad Pitt as well as motherhood. Find out more about the 36 year old star by checking out excerpts of her interview with the magazine, next!

She's one of the most beautiful women on the planet and she's been making headlines lately due to her rumored engagement to long-term boyfriend and baby daddy, actor Brad Pitt, and now Angelina Jolie shows off her natural beauty and fun side in a totally relaxed photo spread signed Alexei Hay for Marie Claire UK, in the magazine's June 2012 issue where the actress also opened up about her life. The 36 year old actress made her directorial debut in 2011 with the wartime drama 'In the Land of Blood and Honey', which managed to gather both positive and negative comments, so the actress/director still has plenty to say when it comes to her career.

Apparently, Angelina Jolie feels super comfortable in front as well as behind the camera, as the photo spread featured in Marie Claire UK demonstrates. Donning a comfy pair of PJ's, Angelina shows off her fun side making grimaces for Alexei Hay's camera lens. After her shoot, Angelina sat down for a chat with one of the magazine's writers, where she opened-up about her life. As far as her decision to becoming an actress, Angelina says that it came naturally. She says:

“I woke up one day realizing, 'God, I'm an actor'. I don't think I intended to be an actor. I think my mother wanted it for me. I loved telling stories, and I enjoyed the profession, but is it too late to be something else?”

Her relationship with Oscar nominated actor, Brad Pitt, has been a magnet for media attention since the beginning and the latest rumors regarding their relationship say that the couple has gotten engaged. As far as her beau goes and what she has learned from him, Angelina states clearly that:

“[Brad] has expanded my life in ways I never imagined. We built a family. He is not just the love of my life, he is my family. I hold that very dear.
I suppose what I've learned from Brad is to be able to have the kind of family whose happiness and well-being comes before your own. I'm very, very grateful to have such a loving family, and I wouldn't have that without him.”

Angelina and Brad have a big family, with 6 children, 3 biological and 3 adopted and apparently the way she was raised by her mother, who died in 2007, influenced her in the way she now deals with her own family issues. She tells Marie Claire UK that:

“My mom couldn't yell, and she couldn't swear. But she would cry. If I was out all night and didn't call, I could see in her face that she didn't sleep all night. And that she loved me.”

Find out more about Angelina Jolie by checking out her full interview and spread in the June 2012 issue of British Marie Claire.
Photos courtesy of Marie Claire UK