Angelina says Cleopatra may be her final role

Angelina Jolie says her passion is writing and humanitarian work. Photo / AP

Angelina Jolie has hinted again that she may quit acting - after she stars in a film about the life of Cleopatra.

The 37-year-old is on the interview circuit as she promotes her new movie Maleficent and revealed she had been in talks with different directors to come up with ideas for the movie.

"We've been working on it," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. "There's been lots of different ideas of directors and lots of different discussions. The script has been written by Eric Roth, who is a dear friend and a brilliant writer."

Playing Cleopatra would be such a big role, she may be tempted not to carry on acting.

"She's complicated, it's complicated to get this one right," Jolie said. "I think we're getting there. It's getting close. I imagine the preparation for it is going to be big.

"It's one of those that you think maybe that's the one you put everything into and that's where you end it, that's where you finish - in a great way. What could you do beyond that one?"

She said a few days earlier that her acting career would take a back seat and she would focus on writing and directing and her humanitarian work with the United Nations.

"I've had a wonderful career and I'm very happy to have had all the opportunities to tell stories and work for as long as I have," she told Britain's OK! magazine.

"I'm sure there will be more films but I am happy I am able to be selective and have fun with characters like this but I would like to focus on writing and directing and above all I would like to focus more on my work with the UN."

She told USA Today she only became an actor because her mum wanted her to.

"It took me until my mid-30s to realise I actually didn't. I actually wanted to write and direct and be more involved in politics and humanitarian issues.

"I'll do a few more films and enjoy it and if I'm blessed to have a good career ... but I've never loved it like I love other things."