Claire Holt took a step back from acting because she wants to be present for her children

And Claire said her priorities have shifted from her career to motherhood since the arrival of sons James, six and Ford, two, as well as daughter Elle, five, whom she has with her 42-year-old husband, ex ecutive Andrew Joblon.

She explained to E! News: "I spent a lot of time trying to fit into the mould of something that I thought was hireable, desirable, or what I should have been.

"I had this sort of one-track goal of getting where I wanted to go in my entertainment career, my acting career. When I had kids, I realised I wanted to be as present as I could in their lives."

Since the 47 Meters Down actress - who shot to fame aged 16 as Emma Gilbert in the fantasy series H2O: Just Add Water in 2006 - became a mom, she has learnt more about herself, and can now prioritise her mental health and wellbeing.

The Pretty Little Liars alum - who admits her departure from acting has made her no longer feel "intellectually and creatively fulfilled" - continued: "The beauty of motherhood is that you become really aware of who you are. I'm not willing to sacrifice my mental health or happiness anymore for things, so that's a beautiful thing that's come from motherhood - it's a really strong sense of yourself."

Claire added: "Any parent will tell you that it's the greatest joy of their life, but it's also absolutely exhausting. Every choice you make matters to this person, and if you're not careful, you can totally lose yourself.

"And the most important thing in the world is being able to show up for them as the best version of yourself, and that means prioritising wellness, that means prioritising sleep, that means prioritising meditation, and all of the things that we know reduces stress."