She is one of the leading ladies of our time, but Marion Cotillard has confessed she doesn't consider herself a feminist.

The French actress, who is currently promoting her new movie Macbeth, with Michael Fassbender, said she believes feminism 'separates' men and women, particularly in the film industry.

Marion, who turns 40 on Wednesday, told Porter magazine: ‘We’re separated already but we’re not made the same and it’s the difference that creates this energy in creation and love.'

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Marion Cotillard has said she believes feminism 'separates' men and women, particularly in the film industry

Marion, who turns 40 on Wednesday, also spoke about putting her son before work and suffering from panic attacks

Gender-based quotas were proposed by a panel at Cannes last year to boost the representation of women in the film industry, but Marion - who has starred in Inception and La Vie en Rose - disagrees with the idea.

‘Film-making is not about gender,’ Marion said. ‘‘For me, it doesn’t create equality, it creates separation. I mean, I don’t qualify myself as a feminist. We need to fight for women’s rights, but I don’t want to separate women from men.'

In her most recent role Marion stars as Lady Macbeth alongside Michael Fassbender in Justin Kerzel's film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, in cinemas October 2

Marion has said that it's the differences between the sexes that 'creates this energy in creation and love'. Pictured on the red carpet with Macbeth co-star Michael Fassbender

The interview with Porter magazine is out this Friday

Marion explained that she believed the differences between the sexes are what breeds 'creation and love', adding that the word 'feminism' creates 'too much separation'.

In her most recent role, she stars as Lady Macbeth alongside Fassbender in Justin Kerzel's film adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth, in cinemas October 2.

Marion also spoke about putting her son before work and told how filming for the movie was so intense she suffered from panic attacks for the first time in her life.

She revealed she usually 'freaks out' when she first starts shooting a movie, but added this time was 'pretty physical and intense'.

Marion said she didn't know what a panic attack was, but was aware of the symptoms, so she was aware of what was happening to her.

The actress, who received an Academy Award and Bafta for Best Actress in Le Vie en Rose and nominations for her role in Two Days, One Night and Rust And Bone, also spoke about how becoming a mum to son Marcel in 2011 has meant she can no longer stay in character when she leaves the set.

She said there are 'questions' about how someone can be 'two persons' at the same time - referring to being in character and being a mother.

She said it's easy, though, to choose between work and family.

'I want to spend time with my kid. Because, well it's easier when you have a family and that's the priority,' she said.

The full interview with Marion Cotillard will be featured in the latest issue of Porter, on sale on Friday October 2.