In a new interview with Porter, Dakota Fanning opened up about her love for acting and how she looks forward to being a mother one day. “Being an actor is a huge part of my identity. I don’t really know who I am without it,” Fanning, 30, told Porter. “But I also have a desire to set up my life and career so that I always have a choice,” she continued. “Having kids is probably more important to me than anything, even being an actor. If somebody said I had to choose, I would choose having kids. I’m one of those people who has always felt that pull.” She added, “I’m trying to push myself to keep saying yes to things that make me uncomfortable, to keep going to places for long periods of time that maybe I’m scared to do because—God willing—one day, it won’t be as easy.”

This isn’t the first time Fanning has spoken about her desire to be a mother. In 2016, Fanning opened up about her career and what’s next in an interview with Elle Canada. “Personally, my biggest goal in life is to be a mother,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to that, and I want to get to a place where I feel like I’ve accomplished what I want for myself, and then when I have my kids, I don’t matter anymore. Not that I would ever stop working, I don’t think, but I know that changes when you experience having kids.” She continued, “And I’m not saying that you don’t matter when you have kids, but it’s like, ‘Phew, this is what’s important, none of that matters.’ But that’s not for a while.’ I guess when I’ve thought about the person I want to become, having kids and becoming a mother is the ultimate thing. And it’s not that for everybody, but for me, I think it is. I do think that sometimes young women now feel like saying that means that they’re just turning into a housewife. And if that’s what you want, great, but if you don’t, it’s not what becoming a mother has to mean.”