Brad Pitt hopes 'Tree of Life' will 'mean something' to his kids

Brad Pitt plays a stern 1950s father in the Cannes 2011 Palme d'Or recipient, "The Tree of Life." So, it stands to reason that reporters would want to hear about his own real-life parenting skills with Angelina Jolie and their six children.

"Not [like I'm] a horrible parent, but I've certainly made mistakes and had to make up for it," he tells People. "I'm painfully aware that my actions leave a double mark on them in these formidable years, so I make sure I don't bring my crap home."

When it comes to the projects he takes on, Pitt tells The Washington Post that his kids have led him to think twice about the direction of his career.

"I think I spent more time jacking around a little bit," he explains of his early roles. "I was more attuned to irreverence and not doing what I was supposed to be doing."

Now, each film hold a little more weight.

"I'm conscious that my kids are going to grow up and see these films someday, and I want them to mean something," he explains. "I'm much more interested in leaving them something they'll be proud of in the end. I've only got so many more of these to do, so I'm just more focused on them having some meaning."

We're sure the kids will appreciate Pitt's work someday, but for now, they're probably just thrilled to be hearing mom's voice in "Kung Fu Panda 2." And we don't blame them!