Superman actor: Bullying past prepared me for Hollywood

The star of the new Superman film, Henry Cavill, has revealed how being bullied as a child helped toughen him up and prepare him for Hollywood.

Cavill, who is the 7th actor to play Superman, said the bullying he received as a child was unfortunately "part of growing up" and insisted he does not hold any grudges:

"They're fully grown men now, and they were kids then and I can't point the finger at the man for what he did as a kid. I hold no grudges."

Cavill will star alongside Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Laurence Fishburne and Kevin Costner in the Warner Brothers film.

The former Tudors star confessed that his initial disbelief at winning the role swiftly turned into sheer excitement, with lots of running "up and down the stairs of the house, making lots of noise".

The actor, who revealed how it took an "enormous amount of sweat" to become Superman, said he has fond early memories of playing Superman as a child:

"I had the cape on, you know tea towel wrapped round the neck, running around the garden with the brothers, also taking turns at being Superman so we couldn't be beaten up by the other ones."

The film, directed by Zack Snyder, is set to be released tonight and is widely expected to impress at the box office.

According to some Hollywood media outlets, such is the confidence in the film it is already set for a sequel.