Kate Beckinsale is looking forward to reclaiming her old life when her daughter goes to university.

Kate Beckinsale

Kate Beckinsale

The London-born actress thinks she will have more spare time to "resume" the life she enjoyed before giving birth to her daughter Lily in 1999, with her now ex-husband Michael Sheen.

She explained: "My ideal phase [in my life] was when Michael and I were hopping back and forth, going, 'It's a bit grey and miserable in London. Should we go to LA for a couple of months?' Then going, 'Had enough of that. Let's go back and go to the theatre.' That was ideal. It didn't last long but it was ideal."

The 'Pearl Harbor' actress thinks that with her daughter leaving home for the first time, she will have more freedom and more opportunity to indulge herself.

She told the Sunday Times newspaper: "Now my daughter is going to be at university, that will be completely possible again. I will be able to spend more time in England. As much as you're going, 'F**k, how am I going to bear it? My daughter's going to college,' there's another voice that kind of goes, 'I'll be excited to resume being the person I was before.'"

Earlier this month, Kate praised Sarah Silverman as a good influence on her daughter Lily.

Sarah is currently dating Kate's ex-husband Michael, and Kate has heaped praise on the comedian.

She said: "We get on really well. I mean, I love Sarah. I'd love her if she didn't have anything to do with Michael. I'm just glad Michael found her.

"I think, especially actors for some reason, they think you're throwing shoes at each other and plotting each other's death. We're not. She's lovely.

"And I love that my daughter's got different options than just me. Like a good, strong, core woman that isn't necessarily me."