'I was lonely': Julianne Moore says she had a hard time after divorce

She's the favourite to win a Best Actress Oscar next month, and has already taken home a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for her role in Still Alice.

So with her career better than ever and a very happy family life, Julianne Moore seems to have it all figured out.

But in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, which is accompanied by a stunning photo shoot, the actress admits that she felt a little bit lost after her first marriage broke down.

'I was lonely. I don’t think I felt happy,' she said. 'I didn’t have the kind of personal life I wanted. 

I’d spent my 20s working hard and trying to get to wherever "there" was, which wasn’t really anywhere. It was just a job, and I really wanted a family.'

Julianne married John Gould Rubin at the age of 25 after two years together, but they separated and finalised their divorce in 1995. 

Beautiful: The Oscar nominee looks absolutely stunning in a photo shoot for the magazine

Cover girl: The redhead graces the cover of The Hollywood Reporter's latest issue

The star turned to a therapist after struggling with the split, which she says was a great help to her.

'One of the things she said was that everybody always knows the answer,' Julianne recalled. 'She said, “We all know the answer.” And I think we all do, don’t we?' 

Fortunately, a year after her divorce, the now-54-year-old met director Bart Freundlich, and the happy couple have been together ever since. 

'I don't think I felt happy': Julianne discussed her divorce from John Gould Rubin, who she is pictured with in 1994, a year before their divorce was finalised

Happy family: Now, the actress has been with Brad Freundlich for almost 19 years. They are seen last week with their two children, 17-year-old son Caleb and daughter Liv, 12

Julianne has been with her partner for 19 years and married to him for 11. They have two children together: son Caleb, 17, and 12-year-old daughter Liv.

The Hunger Games star says that focusing on her personal life helped her to get it to where she wanted it to be. 

'I discovered that it was as important as my professional life. I didn’t spend the time; I didn’t invest,' Julianne explained to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Making waves in Hollywood: Julianne is a favourite to win Best Actress at the Oscars next month, for her role in Still Alice

'One thing I used to tell my women friends was, "There’s an expectation that your personal life is going to happen to you, but you’re going to have to make your career happen." And that’s not true: You have to make your personal life happen as much as your career.'

Referring to one of her favourite books, Little Women, she added: 'The idea that you’re the centre of your own narrative and that you can create your life is a great idea. I totally believe it. I’ve been really lucky, but I feel I’ve completely created my own life.'

Julianne admits that when she first met Bart on set of The Myth Of Fingerprints - which she was starring in and he was directing - she had no idea he'd turn out to be the love of her life.

'She's very funny': The 54-year-old talked about the first time she met Hunger Games co-star Jennifer Lawrence

'We were shooting about a week before we became involved. It seemed unlikely that it would last when we met, but that was almost 19 years ago.' the star told The Hollywood Reporter.

'He’s an extraordinary individual, and he’s always made me feel good about myself and about my work, and I hope I make him feel good, too.'

And they make a good team when it comes to parenting their two children.

'We’re both available as parents, and we’re a pretty great unit,' she said. 'And that’s not to say it’s all been a breeze, because it never is. There’s always stuff.' 

Forming a close bond: Julianne says she 'fell in love' with Ellen Page, who plays her girlfriend in upcoming movie Freeheld. The pair are pictured on set of the film in October

Julianne, who has always been close to her family, suffered the tragic loss of her mother's death from septic shock at the age of 68.

'We don’t know why it happened,' the star admitted. 'She went to bed, and it turned out she had a huge bacterial infection.

Winner: Julianne with her Best Actress SAG Award at Sunday's ceremony

'I learned when my mother died five years ago that there is no “there” there. Structure, it’s all imposed. We impose order and narrative on everything in order to understand it. Otherwise, there’s nothing but chaos.'

In tribute to her Scottish mother, Julianne claimed British citizenship in 2011, which she says was 'a big deal'.

The gorgeous redhead also has many good friends, and has bonded with several of her co-stars.

After revealing that she 'fell in love' with Ellen Page, she recalled meeting the 'very funny' Jennifer Lawrence on the set of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part One. 

'I was sitting in the make-up trailer, and our make-up artist was testing something, and Jennifer came in. I said, “Oh, let me get up.” She goes, “No, no, no. You sit there. And I’ll secretly resent you,' Julianne said.

The hard-working star also told The Hollywood Reporter that she believes she 'probably' has 'a touch' of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

'I like things to be clean,' she said. 'I can’t think unless things are in a certain kind of order. I have to finish stuff. I need to get things done. I can’t relax until I've done the work I know I need to do.'

While the tough industry of Tinseltown has been singing her praises over her role as a professor with early-onset Alzheimer's in Still Alice, it didn't come without a lot of effort on Julianne's part.

The actress did lots of research - from Skype calls with women under the age of 65 who had been diagnosed with the disease, to taking a memory test given to her by a neuropsychiatrist.

After hearing that the results 'were normal', Julianne joked that everyone would much rather be told how great they are.

'But the medical world doesn’t work like that. You’re either normal or you’re not,' she laughed.

The Academy Awards will take place on February 22, and see Julianne compete for Best Actress against Reese Witherspoon (Wild), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), Felicity Jones (The Theory Of Everything) and Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night).