Liv Tyler struggled to rebuild life after divorce

Liv Tyler has opened up about the reasons behind her career hiatus - she has been working to "rebuild" her life after struggling through a "very painful" divorce.

The Armageddon star ended her five-year marriage to British rocker Royston Langdon in 2008 and the split sent Tyler into emotional turmoil, prompting her to step away from the spotlight.

During her time off, the actress made her six-year-old son Milo her main priority, admitting she didn't feel comfortable taking on film roles until her little boy felt "secure".

She tells Bust magazine, "I took a little time off before (most recent movies) Super and The Ledge. I just had a rough couple of years, having Milo and then getting divorced and trying to rebuild my life again.

"Milo and I have been in such transition - I've been rebuilding and trying to be patient. And I've just put all of my focus on that, because I can't go to work and be happy unless he's happy and feels secure...

"It's been interesting, the way things have unfolded. That loss of the dream - because you spend your whole childhood planning how you're going to do things - it's actually very painful, but quite liberating at the same time."