The Mail on Sunday

Movie sex symbol Butler: I can’t find the right girl

. . . well it’s hard to meet attractive women in your line of work, Gerard!

- By Chris Hastings ARTS CORRESPOND­ENT

SUAVE Gerard Butler may have starred in his fair share of Hollywood rom-coms – but he is yet to find true love in real life.

The Scottish star, who has been linked to some of the world’s most beautiful women, has revealed he has yet to find the one.

‘I have not met the one princess yet,’ said the 44-year-old star of the movie version of The Phantom Of The Opera. ‘That doesn’t mean I have not met a lot of princesses along the way, but not the one and only yet.

‘Or maybe I have and she might come back into my life at some point. You should never rule out anything. But am I seeing the one now? The answer, sadly, is no.’

The star, who has appeared in the romantic comedies The Ugly Truth and P.S. I Love You, has been linked to Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and supermodel Naomi Campbell.

But the actor – currently shooting a new film, Gods Of Egypt, in Australia – said the pressures of work played havoc with his love life.

‘It’s harder to be in a relationsh­ip in this industry. It’s partly my own fault, and partly the nature of the beast. It’s hard when you are leaving all the time. I’m now in Australia for two months. Who wants to put up with that?

‘But who says life has to be just one relationsh­ip? Maybe it’s meant to have many short relationsh­ips.’

Butler, who has admitted struggling with alcoholism, described love as ‘amazing’ but said he wasn’t sure it was something he would give up his career for. He said other things, such as ‘spirituali­ty, work and adventure’, were equally important.

He added: ‘Love is amazing, but it is only one aspect of your life. I hope that when I fall in love, I want to support her and not try to change her. I don’t like conditiona­l love.’

The star, who plays Stoick the Vast in the new animated adventure How To Train Your Dragon 2, said it had made him think again about starting a family. ‘I do want kids. For now I have four nieces. I often wonder what it would be like to share a movie with my kids. It does make me think.’

Butler said he enjoyed his sexsymbol tag even though he knew it was largely meaningles­s. ‘It helps your ego. It’s not something I go to bed thinking about at night. But sure, it’s nice to hear.’

Butler, born in Paisley, insists he is not vain but admits to having the odd facial. ‘I take better care of myself now. I eat healthily and I never had a facial before I was an actor. In Scotland we didn’t do that kind of thing, but now I do.’

He says he is a bit of a softie, even though he may not show that side back home. ‘Where I come from, you don’t show much of your sensitive side to your friends. But I love to touch other people’s souls.’

 ??  ?? HANDS ON: With Phantom co-star Emmy Rossum
CIAO BELLA: With Italian star Madalina Ghenea
HANDS ON: With Phantom co-star Emmy Rossum CIAO BELLA: With Italian star Madalina Ghenea
 ??  ?? FRIENDS: With Jennifer Aniston
BEAUTY: With Angelina
Jolie, right
FRIENDS: With Jennifer Aniston BEAUTY: With Angelina Jolie, right
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