The tired actress was bathing her kids after a long day at a friend's birthday party and just wanted to get Apple and son Moses to bed - and she grew frustrated when her daughter refused to grab a towel for her, because she was spooked by a scene in the Harry Potter films.

Appearing on U.S. TV special Out of Character on Wednesday night (11Jan12), the Oscar winner revealed, "She was worried that this image that she had seen in Harry Potter was gonna be in the room. I said, 'But I'm in the room. Just turn around and hand me the towel.'

"She was like, 'I can't do it.' And finally I was just like, 'Apple, hand me the towel, seriously!' And she was like, 'I am seven years old, I'm a child and you need to respect my fears... I am right to feel this way.'

"And then she said, 'And by the way, you told me three months ago you were gonna work on yourself and your patience."