Julianne Moore reflects on challenges with family as she celebrates 63rd birthday alongside her son

Julianne Moore is back on the silver screen this week with the highly-anticipated release of May December on Netflix, an eerie drama based on Mary Kay Letourneau, starring Natalie Portman and Charles Melton.

Plus, the Hunger Games actress has reason to celebrate in her personal life as much as she does in her professional life, with her 63rd birthday falling on December 3rd.

Now, as her schedule continues to ramp up with red carpets and TV appearances for May December – especially with the SAG-AFTRA strike in the rearview mirror – the A-Lister reflected on her "longshot" decision to establish both a steady career and have a family.

Speaking with Forbes, Julianne, who shares kids Caleb, 26, and Liv, 21, with her husband Bart Freundlich, 53, shared that "the fact that I've been able to combine" her work and family life is among one of her greatest joys and priorities today.

She said: "That was my intention when I was starting out. I very, very much wanted to have a career [in] acting." The Oscar-winner made her film debut in the horror comedy Tales from the Darkside: The Movie, back in 1990.

You may also like

Julianne further recalled: "I didn't know that it was going to be possible because it's kind of a longshot, right?" adding: "It's hard to have a creative career, but I also knew that I wasn't willing to sacrifice having a family for that."

The mom-of-two then mused: "Really, when I look back, I'm like, 'Gosh, I was lucky enough that it did.'"

MORE: Julianne Moore shares harrowing message as she speaks out against antisemitism

MORE: Julianne Moore's appearance sparks reaction in rare selfie

Gushing about her "two beautiful children," Julianne revealed her son Caleb will be celebrating his 26th birthday one day after her own, and endearingly added: "That thing that we all hope for – being able to combine work and family, I'm managing to achieve it, so I really value all of it."

Julianne, who was previously married to fellow actor John Gould Rubin from 1986 to 1995, met her director husband in 1996, on the set of his directorial debut The Myth of Fingerprints, when she was 36 and he was 26.

MORE: Julianne Moore stops fans in their tracks with radiant new photos

The two welcomed their son Caleb a year later on December 4, 1997, and their daughter Liv followed five years later, on April 11, 2002. They tied the knot in August of 2003 during an intimate, 36-guest wedding ceremony in their New York City home.

Their son Caleb, who has a Master’s in Music from New York University, is a singer and music composer, while his younger sister Liv is currently a student at Northwestern University.

Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S.  Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox. 

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qbHLpaammZeWx6q6xGeaqKVfnbKiuNOhmKeckpqutsDYaKSorJiav26tzZ1km5mSrnx2fJdxZ3Jnmqq5qq3Np5xmpZ%2Bkv6Z50Z6dpZ2TqcBussCmoKWxXZi1orjLnqWgnaNisKa4xJupmqyVqHqjtdGtn52ZqWLEqsDHZqqopl2Yrq2xwWafrquSlrulecGaqa1llqeytrrDpaCcoF8%3D