Jon Voight Stays Connected With Family Via Skype

Proud grandpa Jon Voight is employing technology to stay connected to his grandchildren while shooting his new television show, Lonestar, in Texas.

The film veteran recently reconciled with daughter Angelina Jolie after their 8-year-estrangement and is just getting to know her six children with partner Brad Pitt - Maddox, 8, Pax, 6, Zahara, 5, Shiloh, 4, and 2-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne.

“It’s hard for me to be away from my grandkids, yes, but I’ll stay in touch with them,” he told PEOPLE at the Lonestar pilot screening at the Paley Center in LA. “Thank god we have this technology, and you know, we use all of it.”

By technology, Voight is talking about Skype – an internet phone system: “We’re just setting it up now,” he explained. “Anyway, I love being in touch with the family.”

The 71-year-old actor went on to say how much he admired his daughter’s work, especially in her latest thriller, Salt.

Her work is terrific. And Angie, for some reason, has this emotional capacity to make every piece of this really authentic, 'cause it's really unreal stuff that they're doing. But that's the genre and she gives … another energy to it.

“She’s very, very good,” he continues. “It’s not like a novelty. She’s really doing it.”