Jodie Foster says her sons are ‘insecure’ about her career (exclusive)

Jodie Foster isn't sure what career path her sons will take, but she supports them every step of the way.

Speaking to PEOPLE at the 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California, after winning her first Emmy for her role in True Detective: NightlandFoster took a moment to reflect that her two sons, Charles and Kit, are just beginning their own careers.

“They’re at the age where they’re starting their careers, and they’re pretty uncertain about what’s going to happen,” Foster tells PEOPLE.

“But every time they're happy, like I got an A or I got this job or an audition, my heart swells 14 times because I have this memory of a wonderful career built on meaningful work, and I know that's the recipe for happiness. So I'm just happy for them, for the future.”

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Foster has her sons with her ex-wife Cydney Bernard.

In January, Foster spoke at an appearance in The view.

“I don't know why, I guess I just didn't want them to know me that way,” Foster told the panel, explaining why she didn't tell her children she was an actress when they were growing up.

“I wanted them to know me as their mother and as the person who went away to work and stuff. I just didn't want them to be confused about what I did for a living.”

Foster also recalled a funny moment that briefly threw her older son off track.

“I brought my oldest son, he was probably about 3 — well, he was 3 because I was pregnant with the other one — I brought him to the set one day and bought him a little plastic tool belt and stuff. And I said, 'Yeah, and this is this set and this set and this set.' And for a very long time, he thought I was a construction worker. He thought I worked in construction,” she laughed.

Now that her sons are all grown up, they are not as interested in looking at her work.

“They have no interest in watching my films with me. I think they will True Detectivebecause they really like it. And yes, there are some films I would never show them because I would be afraid of being teased,” she said.

“Nellfor example, they have never seen, because they often tease me about it even though they have never seen the film.”